The Found
by Lily Uzimaki
Summary: Sasuke and Naruto have just battled at The Vallie of the end, and What if some one finds them? What would change? How many more lives will be lost? Or how many saved?
1. Left and Lost

Disclaimer, read by Nar-

Naruto: "Read by **ME** Naruto Uzumaki!

Author: "Get on with it..."

Naruto: "Lily owns Haze and the orphans but no one else!"

Lily: "What about me..."

Author: "Your not in this one!"

The Found

Chapter 1

Lost and Left

The Valley of The End

Naruto lay there on the ground, his limp form made Sasuke wince. _I almost killed him... My only true friend, I almost was like Itachi. The one person I hate the most, what was I thinking? It was this stupid curse!_ He rubbed the scare with his hand trying to make it disappear.

"AH!" Sasuke screamed as he felt the overwhelming pain shoot through his arm. _I can barely move! If Naruto doesn't get to the hospital soon it'll be too late for him! Hopefully some one sent a rescue team... God, I hope they come... If they don't I'll have to carry him. I... I doug-doubt I can even stay con-conscious. _

Sasuke tried to get up, but failed miserably, he noticed a couple kids come down from above. They circled him, Sasuke tried to get up again but it ended in the same way as before. A girl opened her mouth to speak she apparently was the oldest. "What happened here?" She had green eyes and black hair, she was pretty tall -about Sakura's height- her hair was curly and shoulder length. The other kids there seemed four to eight they we're all boys.

"A... We had a fight... It got a bit out of... Control, that boy there he needs medical attention fast!" Sasuke pointed at Naruto, but there was already red chakra healing his minor injuries. _What the HECK! He-he's healing himself but how? He used all his chakra didn't he? And why is it red anyways?_

The girl got out some bandages and wrapped Naruto's wounds, a six year old checked out Sasuke's. The six year old boy had dark brown hair, green eyes, he wore a reaper his strapped on his back, and a ninja head band on his shoulder. Sasuke noticed all the boys had them, and the girl had a black jounin vest on. They all wore similar black pants, each had their own style of shirt though. The six year old had a Lighting kanji on his black shirt written in white. The girl had the kanji for Mist on a Gray tank written in black. She was also wearing a black mini skirt with gray fringes.

"You look pretty messed up here Haze will have to look at these wounds, she's the girl who's tending to your friend, My name's Kojie, what's yours mister?" The six year old said smiling toothily. _He has an innocent voice like the one I used to have... Before Itachi did what he did..._

After Naruto was done Haze talked to the Kojie about Sasuke's wounds. She rushed over and tore his shirt down the middle as she hastily tended to his shoulder. Haze sighed, Sasuke didn't like when doctors, nurses or medics sighed that usually meant something bad...

"Well a couple ribs are broken and I have to use level A healing Jutsu. Then that's all we can do, your friend there isn't looking good either..." Haze gestured to Naruto, he was almost completely covered in bandages. Two other boys were beside Naruto putting some yellow liquid on the bandages.

Haze did a few hand seals and started getting rid of the loose fragments of bone in his body so they wouldn't puncture his lungs. After Haze was done she ordered two other boys to make two stretchers. Haze mean while put the same yellow liquid that the two boys were putting on Naruto's bandages on Sasuke. _I hope that these guys aren't actually more of Orochimarus goons..._ Sasuke thought wandering what happened to the four that led him here and the bone guy.

"Where are you from? Why are you helping us?" Sasuke asked out of the blue.

"Well we're from the hidden Mist village, and we're helping you because I don't like to see people die... Do you?" Haze said finishing putting the yellow liquid on his bandages.

"No, and um... thank you for your kindness. I just wanted to make sure you weren't really enemy spies. So why are you here with those six boys?" Sasuke asked feeling better already.

"Oh... Well These are orphans and we were going around to all the villages asking people to take us in and stuff like that..." She said looking at Kojie helping care to Naruto.

"Oh, we'll why don't you just live alone in the Hidden Mist? That's what me and (he points at Naruto) Naruto do."

"Your both orphans?" Haze asked.

"Yeah, I lost my parents at eight (I'm not really sure about that) Naruto was born without."

"Oh sorry to hear that, to answer your question. We could but, it would be nice to find a better home for the younger ones to stay in. Allot of people adopt the ones in-between six and five but Kojie and I are too old, we do live alone. He's my cousin, our clan died in a massacre five years ago so we live in an apartment and help other orphans. Kojie was tormented after that but he's over it, he's only eight. Konoha was our last stop this week that's where we were going when we found you... I'm twelve how old are you?" Haze stood up at the sight of two little boys each holding a stretcher, Sasuke was still laying down choosing whether to trust her or wait.

When a pain shot through his shoulder again he decided to trust her. "Okay, well I'm the same age, Naruto is too. But we need to get to the hospital."

"No duh!" She put Sasuke on the stretcher and Naruto on the other one. She did some more hand seals, "Summoning No Jutsu" she shouted. Four birds appeared they were all sparrows. They were about the size of horse, Sasuke guessed two could lift him and the other two Naruto.

"We'll be guiding them from the ground, are you okay with flying?" Haze asked motioning for all the little kids to pack up.

"Yeah I'll be fine, what are the other kids names over there?" He pointed to five boys strapping Naruto into the stretcher.

"Oh well the one on the right (She pointed to one with light blue, spiky hair and black eyes, he had a Aqua long sleeve shirt with black armor over it. On his waist Sasuke could see a sword. The kanji for Ice was on his chest plate.) he's KouKu, Cesous. His parents died two years ago he's about to turn seven." Haze started strapping Sasuke down.

"The one over there with the long brown hair (Iruka style) and off white eyes, he's Shiung, Yahen. (That boy was about the height of Sasuke's knee, he had a green T-shirt with the Wood kanji on it in brown. He had two daggers on his hip that were held by his fore head protector. The other boys all had them on their heads but Sasuke didn't see Haze's...) His parents died in war, he has some relatives in Konoha, on his mom's side or something... He's five" She was now attaching Sasuke to the bird. _Those eyes are like Neji and Hinata's... That's probably their like 3rd cousins or something..._ Sasuke thought remembering the first time he met Neji.

"Hyuuga, was his relatives name Hyuuga?" Sasuke said.

"Yep! Um... You see the one with white hair (Kakashi style)? He has purple eyes? (Sasuke saw him, his pants were shorter than the other boys. He had a seafoam green shirt and a navy kanji for Mountain. He held a bow and a few arrows over his shoulder.) His name is Tuuri, Wesio his parents abused him... He's four and I just met him about three weeks ago. He doesn't like to talk he just stares at people usually. Apparently he thinks it's bad to open his mouth but I got him to talk... A bit." Haze said gathering her first aid set.

"The one with messy black hair and red eyes is Miethio, Nathaniel. He's my second cousin, he was living with his older brother but hi brother was attacked on a mission and died. I'm now the heir to the Kiri Clan so I gain custody to all members. I could take care of him but if I can find a nice family for him I'll give him to them. (That boy had a red jacket and the Fire kanji on the back of it. He had no weapons unlike the rest of them.) He's only five and he deserves a better family."

"Kiri? Isn't that the villages name?" Sasuke asked trying to think.

"Yeah our clan mostly founded the village, my great great grandpa was the first Mizukage. My father was a part of the ANBU special Opps. Wait I know what clan your from! Your an Uchiha, aren't you?" Haze asked excitedly.

"Yeah... Why?" Sasuke asked hesitantly.

"Well my father used to be friends with Uchiha, Obito. But I heard about your brother Itachi I'm sorry..."

"A... Who is that last boy over there? The one with navy hair and blue eyes..." Sasuke said trying to change the subject. The boy had a teal long sleeved shirt and navy armor with a white kanji for Water on it. He had a double spear in his hand.

"That's KouKu, Cesous brother KouKu, Sphiso he's only five. It makes me kinda proud kinda sad that all of those boys are genin." Haze said as the bird holding Sasuke took off. Sasuke fainted into a deep sleep, he needed it too...

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Well what do you think of my new story? This will not be YAIO! This is not a Sasuke Fic even though it seems like it, it's not... And Haze doesn't like Sasuke 'that' way!

There will be more action in this story, so look forward to that! The next chapters will be longer! Don't worry I'll have fan art for this one too!

Read and Review!


	2. Sorry

The Found

Chapter 2

Sorry

Sasuke woke up in a hospital bed with Sakura and Kakashi looming over him, but something was missing... Or actualy some one Naruto was missing. Sasuke ignored Kakashi and Sakura and looked around for his blond friend. "Wheres Naruto?" Sasuke asked giving up his search when Kakashi held down his shoulder.

"He's still in emergancy treatment. You shouldn't get up." Kakashi said taking his hand off Sasuke's shoulder.

"How bad is he..." Sasuke asked hesantly.

"He'll live..." Sakura said. Sasuke noticed something different in her voice, something was wrong. _Usualy she'd be squeezing my guts out..._

"Did you see a girl come here? She had black hair green eyes had six other kids with her?" Sasuke said changing the subject.

"Oh, Haze she's waiting for Naruto in the emergancy room." Kakashi said.

"How do you know her? And why is she over there?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh, well I've met her before on her other visits. She's over there because she wants to see him when she wakes up." Kakashi said.

"Why dose she care? I mean understand bring us here and stuff... But she doesn't need to stay..." Sasuke thought about her awnser before. _"I don't like to see people die. Do you?" _

"Well Haze is like that, she doesn't like to see people hurting, she wants to help them. She knows that you and Naruto need help, I don't know how she dose it but she always knows how to make something better." Kakashi said.

"The first time I met her she was a genin she was just... Seven she had four other orphans with her. I was on gard duity, when I saw her I thought she was actualy a full grown ninja in disguise. But when she asked to see the Hokage-sama I let her in, she asked the Hokage-sama if he knew any one who might want to adopt any of them.

He gave her a few addresses and she came back with only two left, and she asked me if there was an Inn they could stay in, there was but there wasn't enogh room for all of them. So she decieded to sleep in a tree out side their window, I saw her there and took her to my apartment and let her sleep there.

The next morning I woke up and there was oatmeal on the tabel waiting for me. Haze was already eating, she thanked me for letting her stay the night and asked me if I liked oatmeal and I had never tried it. And now every morning I eat oatmeal, that day I helped her and the other orphans train. She asked me if I missed 'him', I thought she was talking about Obito but she wasn't...

When I asked her who she was talking about she said _"You know who I'm talking about." _And I did... She was talking about my father, I told her that I did. She said that _"Some times we miss the ones we think we wont miss the most. But their the also the ones who evey time you think of something good you see their face. Their the ones who patted you on the back when they were proud, smirked behind your back or pushed you to go farther. Their the ones who tell you not to do anything bad, who warn you of your mistakes and you learn from theres. But their always looking after you. Their the one's tell you to tie your shoe so you don't trip and the voice in the back of your head telling you not to give up..." _

I belived her too, and I still belive her..." Kakashi said.

"And she was only seven?" Sakura asked.

"Yep, I don't know how she dose it but she dose... But in the end she didn't even know who I was thinking about and she just guessed." Kakashi said.

"Wierd she didn't even know who you were thinking about or who she was talking about. How many times dose has she come here?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh, about two times a year. The most orphans she's ever brought over here is twenty, and she only orphan left was Kojie. The rest always get adopted by the time she makes it back to her village. Kojie never has gotten adopted for some reason. Lily doesn't want to get adopted she say's _"I have to help other orphans how can I do that if I'm not one?" _I wanted to adopt her but I want her to be happy so I let her go..." Kakashi said looking down.

"But when ever she comes she stays at my place and we chat and do stuff together. _"We're like brother and sister!" _that's what she says. She used to have an older brother and a younger sister but their both dead now." Kakashi said looking at Sasuke.

"Hm, there arn't to many orphans in Konoha are there?" Sasuke said.

"Well there are many but their all older now. Like Iruka, Narutop You and me. But _now_ there arn't many orphans." Kakashi said thinking about all the kids that didn't have parents in his time.

"Sasuke di-did you do all that stuff to Naruto?" Sakura asked, Sasuke knew she was itching to ask that question since he woke up.

There was an aquard silance for a while than Haze came in smiling. _Perfect timeing Haze!_ Sasuke said thanking her in his head.

"Naruto's up! And he wants to see you _all_! Right _now_ so come on!" Haze said pulling Sasuke out of his bed.

"How is he?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh alot better your Hokage is a mirical worker! But if I would have gotten there a hour later he would be worse, so you should be thankful Kakashi. Other wise you might be missing two realy good students!" Haze said smiling at Kakashi.

"Hey your a Jounin! You didn't tell me that in you letter!" Kakashi said tugging on her jacket.

"Oh I forgot... You see I just got it two weeks ago so it was easy to forget." Haze said giving that 'Whoopsie silly me' look that Kakashi gets every time he's late.

"Well congadeulations! I'm so proud!" Kakshi said giving Haze a nuggy.

"Actually I'm an ANBU now, see.." Haze pulled out her mask. It was a Yin Yang symbol only insted of white it had insted gray. Kakashi remembered when she met her the second thing he noticed about her was that she had a yin yang symbol around her neck. The third was...

"Why do you have you regulation headband on your SHOE!" Sasuke yelled finally finding the hidden head band he'd been serching for.

"Well it comes in handy, you can see who's above you, behind you or the side of you with out them knowing you've seen them! And it can blind your enemys if you know how.." Haze said making it shine in his eyes.

"So going with your same symbol for your mask?" Kakashi asked trying not to start a fight.

"Yep! This was my fathers, I'm sure you remember him right?" Haze said putting it on.

"How could I forget..." Kakashi said opening the door to Naruto's room.

"Hey guys! How did you know I was awake?" Naruto said trying to move.

"Haze said you wanted to see us..." Kakashi said looking from Naruto to Haze.

"Nope, I don't even know this 'Haze' person..."

"HAZE!" Kakashi looked daggers into her eyes.

"He wanted to see you! I never said he _told_ me he wanted to see you..." Haze said looking at Naruto.

"Hi Naruto I'm Kiri, Haze. I got you from the Vally of the End. Along with your friend Sasuke..." Haze said.

"Okay... Well I'm Uzumaki, Naruto it's nice to meet you..." Naruto said.

"I think you and Sasuke need some time alone... Kakashi you have yet to introduce me to that girl in the door and that's very rude! So now you have to give me a tour and treat us to lunch!" Haze said pulling Kakshi out the door.

"Uh, Naruto I'm sorry I didn't mean to... The seal made me do it... I just... I'm so sorry I should have listened to you..." Sasuke said.

"I under stand... I forgive you, but promise me that you wont get consumed with revenge." Naruto said talking seriously.

"I realized maybe I should foucus on another dream... On the family I have here you, Kakashi and Sakura. But Tsunade got rid of the curse... I should be back to normal, but I can never forgive myself for what I did to you..." Sasuke said looking at Naruto.

"I'm fine but I'm warning you... Next time I'll win for sure!" Naruto said smiling. Sasuke smiled too and punched Naruto's shoulder.

"Your on!" Sasuke and Naruto talked the rest of the day.

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"I'm Haruno, Sakura and you Kiri, Haze correct?" Sakura said slurrping down some raman that Kakashi was actually _paying_ for.

"Yep!" Haze said eating some broccile.

"So where do you want a tour to... Have you taken care of the orphans?" Kakashi said taking out his wallet.

"Nope, I wandering if you could tour me while we knock." Haze said.

"Knock?" Saskura said.

"Yeah, well I mean go around asking people to adopt orphans... Right now their playing at the park." Haze said getting up after Kakashi paied for their meal.

"So we'll go get them first!" Haze said skipping around.

They arrived at the park after getting lost a _few_ times, in which Haze usually met a dead end...

"Kojie, Cesous,Yahen,Wesio, Nathaniel and Sphiso! Line up!" Haze called out to the empty park.

Six boy came into vision Sakura thought for a minute Wesio was actualy Kakashi. She noticed he had no mask though, and he had purple eyes. _I wander why there all boys? _Sakura thought trying to figure out if Yahen was a boy.

"I'm Kiri, Kojie, Haze's cousin age seven! Oh hi there Kakashi!" The boy with dark brown hair called as he shook Sakura's hand and hugged Kakashi then stepped aside by Haze.

The next boy stepped up to Sakura. "I'm KouKu, Cesous age six and Spiso in my little brother!" He shook Sakura and Kakashi's hand and stepped beside Kojie.

The rest all did the same thing as Cesous, and Sakura introduced her self, Kakashi introduced himself too. "Well, Kakashi, do you know where the Hyuuga's live?"

"Oh yah! I'll lead the way why? Are they acyually considering adopting..." Kakashi suddenly turned on Haze.

"Oh no, but I have a relitive here and their his only family..." Haze said looking at Yahen.

"Okay well this way!" Kakashi said leading the way.

They arrived at the Hyuuga Mansion in a few minutes the orphans all lined up out side the door. Sakura thought they might be robots noticing how still they were. Haze knocked on the door.

Nobody awensered, she tried again and the door swung open to reveal a tall figure. "What do you want?" The figure was pretty old and tierd, Haze tried to act as though that didn't matter.

"I'm looking for the head of this house, is he here?" Haze said smiling brightly.

"No, he's in the hospital visiting Neji, his nephew. He was reluctent to live after a retrieval mission conserning the Uchiha. He'll be on the fourth floor." The old man shut the door in her face. But she just turned around and had a questioning look on her face.

"What did he mean 'retrieval mission conserning the Uchiha'. Did he mean Naruto and Sasuke's battle? Sasuke ran away and lots of people fallowed him and Sasuke fought Naruto but didn't mean to hurt him beacuse he was driven by revenge wasn't he?" Lily said with an 'I know don't denigh it' look on her face.

"Baisicly but how did you know that?" Kakashi said looking in her eyes.

"Just a gues like you and your 'father'... Just like that..." Lily said.

_I'll figure it out someday... Or she'll tell me... _Kakshi thought.

"To the hospital!" Lily said letting Kakashi lead the way this time.

They arrived and found Lord Hiashi sitting out side the emergancy room with Hinata.

"Hello, you don't know me but I have your nephew here, you know your sisters son? Well his parents died in war and your his only family left would you like to take him in?" Haze asked... Hinata?

"What?" Hinata gasped, _Hanabi had a son? She died in war with her husband? She wasn't even NINE, a genin or dating! And what about our mothers side of the family?_

"Haze your talking to the wrong Heir..." Kakashi said turning her face to a very angry Hiashi.

"Oh, whoops! But I thought she was the Heir?" Haze said.

"She isn't at the moment and she might never be..." Hiashi said looking disapprovingly at Hinata.

"I think she's more cut out for it than you, she might not be strong but she doesn't need to be... You know the greatest leaders were the peace keepers, not the warriors. And I can even now see the ditermantation in her eye's to get stronger!She would be a great leader, she's kind and bright. But any way will you take your sisters son?" Haze said doing her 'I know don't denigh it' face than smiling at the end of the sentance.

Hiashi thought about what she had said she was right. _Hinata would be a good leader and she could get stronger... I wish I had seen this before but now for my nephew... _Hiashi though and suddenly smiled, at Hinata and every one except Haze was surprized.

"Hinata I think you should choose..." Hiashi said.

Mean while The orphans were in their line and Haze called Yahen up. Hinata looked at him for a while and asked if he missed his mom and dad. She asked a little bit about him and she smiled scruffling his hair.

"Of course he's fam-family we hav-have to take hi-him in!" Hinata said looking at her father for appoval. Hiashi nodded, Hinata played with his hair happily.

"Okay! Well sign this and I'll be here all week to check in on him and if I decied that he's happy I'll let him stay!" Haze said as she hugged the boy who she had grone so close to.

"Bye Mommy!" Yahen said as she and the orphans made their good bye's.

Kakashi cocked as eye brow. "Mommy?" He questioned Haze as she walked off smiling happily.

"All the orpans call me that or sisy... By the way I have to check on al the orphans that are here which is... Thirty or no wait it's just twleve!" Haze said counting on her fingers.

"But let's check on Naruto and Sasuke first!" Haze said slidding in on the two boys.

"Hello there how are you two? Made up yet? Naruto got your head strait Sasuke?" Haze said looking at them.

"How did you know?" Sasuke relized what she was talking about.

"I just guessed?" Haze said shrugging.

"Yeah I bet you just guessed that Hinata and her father had problems too..." Saskura murmered.

"They had problems?" Haze said turning on Sakura.

"DUH! And now you made them better! Do you do this to every one! Your like some kind of... SAINT!" Sakura shouted.

"What's wrong with that? Sisy helps people all the time... Is that a bad thing?" Sphiso asked tugging on Sakura's kimmono.

"No, but it's just odd..." Sakura said picking up the little one.

"What are you TALKING about?" Naruto said tierd of being left in the dark.

"You know it's been a long time since I've met a person like you Naruto... I haven't known you long but just looking in your eyes I can tell that you've been through allot and it hasn't gotten to you..." Haze said sitting on Naruto's bed and looking in his eyes.

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What in Haze talking about? Why dose she act like a Saint? What is her secret? And why is Naruto so special? find out in Chapter three!


	3. Like You

The Found

Chapter 3

Like You

"I don't get it?" Naruto said eyeing Kakashi like it was his fault that Haze was talking about him.

"Well hey don't look at me! I didn't tell her about you, in fact the last time she came was last year... Why didn't you come earlier?" Kakashi said.

"There weren't any orphans in my charge, this is actually the last group of orphans that are in my charge... The rest are going to an orphanage run by as they put it 'much more capable people than _you_'. So now I'm moving to another place to do the same thing, I won't have any problems either. I've gotten seven requests to come to other villages, since I'm an ANBU it's pretty easy... I still don't know where I'm going though. Maybe I'll just stay here!" Haze said rubbing the back of her neck.

"But why would they let you go than if your so strong?" Sasuke asked.

"Well they feel I might start a rebellion, because I don't just take away kids I also help parents keep them. But the Mizukage thinks that I'm secretly teaching them illegal jutsu. It's true I teach them to defend them selves but I only teach them Tiajutsu." Haze said getting up from the bed and scuffling Wesio's hair.

"Well Sasuke, I'm no doctor but with those wounds you should probably get back to bed!" Haze said grabbing his caller and walking out the door. Every one sweat dropped as they all said "Your the one who brought him here!"

Haze came back to the room Sasukeless, Naruto was still confused. "I don't get what's so_ special _about me?" He said sitting up.

"I told you... You don't let it get to you, you keep on beliving, in you dream... And you don't give up either, If Sasuke would have gone with Orochimaru you would have followed him wouldn't you? You would risk your life just to get him back, actually you'd do that for any one wouldn't you?" Haze said poking him gently in the chest.

"Yeah of course I would! Well if they were my friends, or they were nice to me. Like I wouldn't do it for Orochimaru! Who did you know Orochimaru was up to this?" Naruto said.

Haze giggled and left the room, Kakashi ands Sakura told him they'd visit later on. They were looking for some people to adopt orphans now, or as Haze put it knocking.

Another person slammed the door in Haze's face but, she didn't care she just simply went to the next door and knocked. "Hello?" Haze said looking at the large red door and yellow siding of the house.

The door swung open, to reveal a heavily bandaged Kiba. "Who are you?" He asked.

"Oh, me I'm Haze! A... I would like to speak to your mother please..." Haze said.

"Okay? Oh, hey Sakura! How are Naruto and Sasuke..?" Kiba said.

"There going to be fine how are you and Akamaru?" Sakura said walking up so she stood next to Lily.

"Okay." Kiba said letting them in.

"So you we're part of the mission to bring Sasuke back?" Haze asked.

They all sat on a sofa and Kiba sat in a chair across from them.

"Yeah, my name's Inuzuka, Kiba by the way who are you?" He asked sniffing the air around her.

"My name's Kiri, Haze, um... Where's your mother?" Haze said looking around.

"Oh right stupid me, I'll go get her!" Kiba said running out of the room.

He came back with a woman that looked a lot like him. She was smiling you could tell she was a very nice person. "Hello I'm miss Inuzuka. How may I help you?" She asked sitting on the sofa with Haze. Sakura and Kakashi.

"Would you like to adopt an orphan by any chance?" Haze said gesturing to the five boys petting a dog at the front door.

"Oh, actually I was thinking about it... Could you introduce them?" Miss Inuzuka said looking at them playing with the_ her _dog, who was enjoying himself.

"Hey guys! Come on introduce!" Haze said.

The boy's all introduced them selves, so far Miss Inuzuka liked Wesio. He was nice and shy Haze told her why he was an orphan. Miss Inuzuka was reminded of her late husband when she looked at him, besides it would be nice to not have a little peace and quite.

"Well Wesio, tell me a little about your self." Miss Inuzuka said putting a hand on his head.

"Well, I'm four, I'm a genin, I have a Blood Line limit to control earth type things, I like animals, Haze mostly raised me and my parents abused me." Wesio said shyly counting off his fingers trying to remember every thing.

"Well, Kiba would you mind having a younger brother?" Miss Inuzuka said smiling at the little boy.

"Heck I'd love to! Now I can teach him all my tricks! Wahoo, you hear that Akamaru! We got a new brother!"Kiba said taking a dog out of his jacket.

Wesio looked speechless, he just stood there until Kiba decided to lift him up and hug him -than he gasped for air-. Kiba's sister came in at the sight of Kiba choking a young boy and hit Kiba over the head. "Hey this our new younger brother!" Kiba's sister looked at Kiba like he was going to crazy.

"What?" She turned to her mother, but her mother only nodded in agreement.

"Okay what's his name?" She took the kid from Kiba and looked at him smiling.

"Wesio, by the way don't we have some paper work to fill out?" Miss Inuzuka asked Haze.

"Oh yeah! All be around all week to check in on him. I'll visit every year either that or I might just stay here..." Haze said handing her a stack of papers.

"Okay thanks! Well Wesio would you like to be a part of our family?" Miss Inuzuka asked.

"Yeah! But I gota say good bye first!" Wesio said running to the other orphans and Haze.

"Bye I'll miss you! Bye Sissy thanks for taking care of me!" Wesio hugged all the Orphans and Haze.

"We must be going! See you tomorrow!" Haze said hugging back Wesio.

They walked out the door with only four boy's left, Haze noticed it getting dark, she decided to get a place to stay the night for the kids. "Well time to turn in!" Haze said yawning.

"Okay! Where are we staying this time?" Kojie asked holding her hand.

"You could stay at my place if you like..." Sakura spoke up taking Sphiso in her arms.

"Grown attached?" Haze whispered in her ear.

"Yep! You know I've never had siblings... Maybe I'll talk to my mom about adopting... Would you like to be my brother Sphio?" Sakura said placing him on her hip.

"Me? Be your brother? Okay pretty big sissy! But ya know pretty big brother has to come with me?" Sphio said every one laughed.

"That was a good one!" Haze said taking Nathaniel in her arm as he started to fall asleep.

"Well sure they can stay with you! Kakashi would you mind if Nathaniel, Kojie stayed at your house?" Haze said looking up at him.

"Sure! You know Haze... I want to talk with you about some thing when we get to my place okay?" Kakashi said.

"Fine!" Haze said skipping around.

"Cesous would you like to come too?" Sakura said taking the little ninja's hand.

"Really!" Cesous said hugging Sakura.

"Hey we'll meet you here tomorrow!" Sakura said walking in her door.

"Okay!" Haze said walking on.

Kakashi arrived at his house and Haze put Nathaniel down on the couch. She told Kojie go to bed while Kakashi and her talked. Kakashi felt awkward, he didn't know why, I mean he had no children. And Haze already basically lived here.

"Haze, now that you don't have to be in the Kiri any more a... Would you like to, stay here with me?" Kakashi asked sitting across the table from Haze.

Haze was stunned by the question _Some one wants to adopt me! But what about Kojie and Nathaniel? I like Kakashi and I know that he'd let me help the other orphans and stuff but... Well I'll ask him..._

"Kakashi what about Kojie and Nathaniel?" Haze said messing with her hair.

"Do you think I forgot about them? No, no I already have room for them..." Kakashi said.

"You've wanted to adopt me ever since I came here didn't you?" Haze said smiling.

"Right on as usual! So what do you say?" Kakashi said.

"Well You've always been there for me... I basically live here and the kids like you!" Haze said hugging him around the neck.

"I'll take that as a yes?" Kakashi said hugging her back.

"Yep!" Haze said.

you weren't expecting that were you?

"Well I do have a girl friend you know that don't you?" Kakashi said looking at her.

"Who is it?" Haze said still smiling.

"Yuuhi, Kurenal, she loves kids, I told her I might adopt you. She thinks that's great and she can't wait to meet you!" Kakashi said smiling at his new daughter.

Or that?

"Well first I need to fill out some paper work don't I!" Kakashi said holding out his hand.

"Oh yeah!" Haze gave him three heavy packs of paper. Kojie ran in screaming his head off.

"What's wrong?" Haze said getting off of Kakashi's lap.

"I heard the hole thing I knew this was gunna happen! Yeah Whoooooo!" Kojie screamed as he hugged Kakashi too.

"I'll take that as an 'I agree'." Kakashi said.

"You better! Now we have only Nathaniel!" Haze said swinging Kojie around.

x()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()X()()x Mean while with Sakura...

"Mother I'm home!" Sakura said walking through the front door, Sphiso now asleep on her hip, Cesous holding her hand.

There was no answer Sakura walked through the house no one was there... _Maybe she went to the market..._

She went out side in the ally separating there apartment, there was two bloody heaps on the ground. Sakura shrieked and ran over to them, she her mothers pink hair was spattered with blood and her father was laying ontop of her, both _dead_...

_What happened? These aren't real! This must be a genjutsu or something! Oh no the orphans! _Sakura tried to dispelled the non-existent genjutsu before running in to find the Sphiso and Cesous asleep on her bed where she left them.

"What do I do now! I know I should go to Tsunade and... And tell her that their is some illusion that my parents are dead outside my house! I'll take the boy's with me." Sakura murmured to herself. She grabbed both boy's and left for the Hokage tower.

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura staggered in with one child on her back and the other in her arms both asleep.

"What?" Tsunade said.

"I... I went inside my house and... No one was there then I went outside to lock up and there was a... Genjutsu or something it showed an illusion of both my parents dead... In the ally... What should I do? I don't know where the culprit is and I don't want to leave these two alone..." Sakura said as she set them down in a chair, she looked at the clock it was about eleven O'clock.

"Shizume look after these two, Sakura show me where this gen jutsu is..." Tsunade doubted that it was genjutsu... Recently there was an escape from prison and Sakura's father was the one who had put him there, no Tsunade was expecting it... _But I didn't think it would happen this soon... I should have pre pared._ Tsunade thought.

Sakura showed her the spot, and true to her word her mother and father lie there dead... "Sakura I don't know how to tell to you this... There is no Illusion your parents ar-"

"NO their NOT!" Sakura interrupted Tsunade midsentace. Sakura went over to her parents and knelt down she was shaking, tears were coming down her face. She was shaking her father and mother's dead bodies gentile. "The-Their just sleeping... Come on dad this is no time for joking... Mom? WAKE UP!" She gave up and cried on her parents dead bodies. Tsunade stood there helplessly, what could she do anyways?

Or that?

"Sakura why don't you and those boys stay in my office tonight I don't want you in the house until we find their killer..." Tsunade picked Sakura up and walked her to her office.

Sakura woke up finding her self in the office of the Hokage, It wasn't a dream...

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Ooo... I'm Evil! I left you hanging! But what do expect? I know why did I update so early well... I was bored, and I need more votes on my other story. So I got bored, don't worry if you leave reviews I might do another early update!


	4. Where To Go

The Found

Chapter 4

Where to go

Sakura took Sphiso and Cesous hand's and lead them to Tsunade-sama she let go of their hands then walked out of the office and right before she closed the door she said. "I-I'm going for a walk... Ill go fin-find Haze so she can yake you two ba-back..." Sakura slumped out the door. She didn't know where she was going to go. She just wanted to get away, she ran tears streeming down her face, but she didn't care how many people stared at her she was just going to keep running...

She was now in a forest, she still ran further, she felt if she ran far enough than non of this could be true. Her parents wouldn't be dead, Sasuke wouldn't have almost killed Naruto and every thing would be normal like it was before those chuunin exams... _That's where my life turned for the worse. If Orochimaru wouldn't have been here... It's all his fault! I-I just Ooo, want to kill that creep! _But Sakura's thoughts were cut off as a kunia went through her hair nearly slicing her neck. She stoped and got into a fighting stance she wanted to pullout all of her anger and this person was asking for it.

"Ahh, you look like that woman I killed last night come to think they were muttering something about Sakura their daughter... That must be you!" A man came out he was wearing prison clothes his purple hair was long and his eyes where ivy green. His voice alone sent shivers down Sakura's spine. He had just jumped out of a tree, he had an Axe in his hand. And there was ne daot that he was Sakura's parents killer...

"Y-you killed m-my parents?"

"Must have... And now I'll kill you!" He lunged forward with axe in hand Sakura barly dogged. He came back swinging at her agian this time he cut her shoulder in a down ward thrust, Sakura ignored the pain and took the oppertunity to kick him in the face. Sakura ran as fast as she could, she may have wanted to kill that bastared but she knew when she was out classed. But soon she heard the axe flying at her back she ducked and ran on. The man was now right behind her with a manic look on his face.

"Give it up! I can kill you right now if I wanted to. So why don't you just come quitely so I don't get caught!" The man grabbed her ankle Sakura tripped and attemted to kick him in the gutt but his smile only became wider.

"Oh... Tut tut tut that's bad manners!" He picked her up and swung his axe at her tendon, she refused to screem though and continued trying to kick him. She finnaly landed one on his arm and he dropped her. She ran off again, trying to think of a way out of this mess. She noticed that the wound on her shoulder was pretty deep, she would pass out if she lost to meck blood... She needed to escape for a bit.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Her clones went several differant dirrections she headed for the east where a training ground was. But she soon felt her clones diminish, all at the same time. Which could mean three things, 1 he made his own, 2 he had accomplises or 3 he could some how be in four places at once but she didn't have time to think as an axe logged itself into the middle of her back. She could feel her blood squirt out, and than a tug on her back told her she was being reeled in. She quickly took out her own kunia and cut the chain conected to the axe and ran off again.

She reached the training grounds and just no one else happened to be there but Rock, Lee was there. Training of course, with his team and the sand sibs. They were in such intense dule that they didn't know she was there. But they needed to know, other wise that man would pull her off again. But she had just stummbeled out of the forest and coughed up a bit of blood whick told her he might have cut one of her arteries. She was there and Lee looked at her taking a kick from Kankurou numdly. She stared at him than every thing went black...

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"Sa-Sakura?" Lee called as he saw her blood was dripping from her shoulder and her mouth but she didn't have time to awenser as she collasped. Lee imeaditly called break which Ten Ten had never seen him do so she went to look to what in the world would make him do that but they all turrned their heads to see Sakura sprawled on the ground.

Lee checked her paulse and see if she was breathing she was. But he was no medic and he could tell Sakura's wounds were deep and she had lost a lot of blood. Ten Ten rushed to Lee's side and shoved him back, the rest stood over her.

While Neji used his Byakugan to check the forest to see if he could find the pupitraiter. Of course he hadn't been training but he was supposed to stop the training if something happened. But he was so caught up in the spar he failed to notice Sakura. _I can't find any one, in the forest unless she was attacked by a bunny and judging by the way that axe is sticking out of her back... It was a ninja of or mercinary, but why attack Sakura? She's not very strong, but she has nothing to offer?_

"Nope no one... He must of ran when he saw us pick her up..." Neji said.

"Hm... Why would any one want that girl though... She doesn't put up to much of a strugle... They must want information..." Gaara said, he hadn't been bataling either because his chakra was depleted after the mission to find Sasuke.

"Well she better get to the hospital... I'll take her some one else might want to alert Tsunade-sama." Ten Ten said picking Sakura up piggy back style.

"Shouldn't we get her parents?" Lee asked.

"Oh, you must not of heard... Her parents both died last night, some one murdered them both. Apparently Sakura's father put that some one in jail and he wanted revenge... They never did catch him... Maybe thats who did this to her." Ten Ten said.

"Oh... Well I'll go tell Tsunade-sama." Neji said leaving.

Ten Ten carried Sakura to the hospital followed by Lee. Gaara, Temari and Kankurou followed Neji to make sure the man that attacked Sakura wasn't still around.

Ten Ten arrived at the hospital a few minutes later. She figured that they might as well visit Naruto and Sasuke while they were there, they opened Naruto's door. "Hey, Naruto how are you feeling? Oh your here too Shikamaru!" Ten Ten said, coming in the door followed by Lee.

"Yeah I was talking to Naruto about the mission, Tsunade needs me to fill out a report... How trouble some eh?"

"Oh come on quit complaining! Oh, and I'm feeling fine! I'd be out of here right now if it weren't for the fact that Tsunade said she'd take away all my missions if I even tried to stand." Naruto said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Naruto did you know that Sakura's parents died last night? We just found her in the forest a few minutes ago too she ws hurt badly but she'll liv-" Lee was cut off when Naruto with amazing speed got up and headed down the hall. _Sakura's hurt! I wander which room she's in? I'll tell Sasuke first!_

He ran into a few nurses as he tuned a corner. He quickly knocked on Sasuke's door, and before he got an awneser he opened it. "Sasuke Sakura's hurt and her parents died or something I'm going to go see her!" Naruto said -more like shouted-.

"Okay Well looks like I'm coming too Dobe... But next time wait for me awenser the door... Baka!" Sasuke said walking past him camly. They went down to the lobby and asked the clerk what room Sakura was in she told them she was in emergancy treatment. So they went up slowly and waited out side Lee, Ten Ten, Ino's family, Shikimaru and two boys were there.

"Hello Sasuke, Naruto shouldn't you be resting? You'll prabably re-open those wounds... Baka!" Ino said hitting him over the head.

"Geesh! Now your going to give me a concion!"

"Just stut up... You two are so troublesome!" Shikimaru said.

Before Naruto or Ino had an awnser to that the emergancy door opened to reveal a doctor. "You can see her now but be quite." He said walking away.

"Okay!" They said walking in the room.

"Hey Sakura how'r ya feel'in?" Naruto said sitting in a chair smiling at her.

"Not great..." She said her shoulder and leg were bandaged up and her back was pretty bad.

"You shouldn't be out of bed Naruto!" Sakura said just relizing that Naruto wasn't supposed to be up.

"Don't worry 'bout me! Any way's you remember who did this ta' ya? Cause me and Sasuke can beat um' up fer ya'!" Naruto said.

Sakura thought about why she was here and what happened... _I-I have to be stronger! I don't want Naruto and Sasuke fighting all my fights! I need to fight my own! I need to stop worrying about looks and ravilries... I need to train I need to get stronger..._When Sakura didn't awenser Naruto she just stared at the cieling... Naruto calmed down a little and wandered what he'd said to make her do that... Ino was ready to hit him on the head, but before Ino hit him on the head Sakura opened her mouth. "Thank's Naruto, Sasuke... Lee But it's time for me to fight my own fights..." Sakura said as she fell asleep... Every one was quite for a while than Ino finnaly remembering that she was supposed to punch Naruto, hit him over the head.

Every one slowly departed to their other appiontments...

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Kakashi woke up the next morning with a head ache, he remembered having a beer or two or three... _Yep that's what did it... Nine beers!_ "Hey Kakashi I see your up! I made you some oat meal!" Haze said giving him a bowl with a creamic looking liquid in it.

"Oh by the way there was an attack last night and this morning it was reported that two people died and Sakura is in a fight which just started a few minutes ago. The two people that died were most likely Sakura's parents." Haze said as Kakashi jumped up and looked her in the eye.

"Is Sakura okay?" Kakashi said rashly getting up.

"I don't know, if she is she'll be in the emergancy room in a few minutes. I'm going to find the man that killed her parents that she's prabably fighting right now! I'll meet you at the hospital in a few!" But before Kakashi could respond Haze turned into smoke...

_I need to find Sakura before that her parents killer gets her too. Er... I should have been faster last night! Than her parents wouldn't have died and I might have stoped the guy before he got to Sakura. I was a fool! _Haze rushed through the forest trying to find any chakra signitures. She senced some one a few feet away she senced he was about her levle or higher...

But she ignored the growing tension in her gut and carried on. Haze saw a man throwing an axe into a far away target she heard it hit. But when he pulled the axe didn't come back instead just it's chain came hailing back.

Haze took the oppertunity to kick him in the face he was instantly replaced by a log. "I have no grudge against you so please leave me be or I will kill you!" A voice came from behind her. But oh to quick, Haze kicked in that direction to find no one there.

"Fine! You have chosen death!" Haze felt a chain rap around her arm she quickly replaced her self with a twig. She found the man standing in some bushes. She forced chakra into her feet to help her speed up and she cart wheeled over his shoulders and kicked his back but held her grip on his shoulder tight.

The man laughed and soon tried throughing Haze off him self. But he failed, and Haze took the time to flip over his shoulders and punch him in the face. He was sent flying for a moment and then landed on his feet Haze was already carging at him though. But he pulled out his kunia and tried to block the incoming attack. Haze swiftly avoided the kunia and continued to pull out her own and stab him in the gut. The man spewed out some blood and Haze jumped a few feet away ready for the next attack. But she soon saw that no one was there and she tried to find him, but to no avail

_He either retreated or dissapeared... Hm... I need to be ready I should prabably stan my ground for a few minutes than look around. I wander why no one has senced this fighting though? What if he's been masking this hole area! Than no one out side the area could sence us... That's why I couldn't find them before! I wander if Sakura's okay? But Sakura should be fine if that axe didn't come back with her on it..._ _I sho-_ Her thoughts were cut off as a stinging sensation in her right hip told her that some one had just struk an arrow there.

Haze noticed thqat she was now in a genjutsu she quickly formed a few seals. "KAI!" Haze felt yet another arrow peirce her shoulder. She felt like she was coming out of a daze and found several other arrows already logged in her stomache that was bleeding quite badly.

She now saw the man above her already strining another arrow in his bow, Haze quickly rolled to the side and clim,es up the nearest tree then Haze took out some wires and shot them across a tree on the other side of her. she tied them tightly and walked carefuly across the wires and caught the man by his foot and quickly held a dagger to his throat. "Tell me your name sir... I wish to know the names of my victoms before I defeat them!" Haze let the dagger fall a little closer to his neck.

"You may know me as Kruogine, Rio. What buisness is this fight to you any ways? Why did you attack me? You are of the Kiri are you not? What is your name?"

"The girl you attacked is my friend... And my name is Kiri, Haze you'd do well to remember it!" Haze got more wire out and binded his hands and legs. She never let go of the kunia on his neck untill she knocked him out.

Haze carried his to the Hokage's office, ignoring her growing pain in her stomache which was deeper than she belived it to be. By the time she reached the door she was breathing heavily. It was than that she noticed a strange smell protruding from her wounds. _Oh, great it's pioson! That's prabably how he killed Sakura's parents too... He must not have gotten it on Sakura though... He prabably felt she was waste of it... Well luckily I'm in the Hokage's office! _She smirked to her self before opening the door.

"Hello! I'm Kiri, Haze and I do belive I have a... A criminal... Here... And he... He..." Haze slowly sunk to the floor. Tsunade slowly let out a gasp, she and Kakashi were just talking about the mornings avents. _I thought it odd that Haze would know that Sakura was being attacked before they even found her. And why they didn't find any chakra signitures after they found Sakura... And if Haze was fighting this man then there should have been a huge chakra signiture... _But Tsunade quickly turned her attention to Haze's bloody form. Kakashi was looking at a strange black liquid, Tsunade instantly recodnized it to be a deadly pioson that was found on Sakura's parents corpses.

"Kakashi step back that's poison! We have to get it out of her system!" Tsunade said forming seals and her hands glowed green and she plunged them into Haze's wound on her shoulder. she took out some black liquid and deposited it in a trash bin near by. After sevral more plungings into Hazes body she backed off and asked that Kakashi take her to the hospital to reseave treatment for her wounds...

Kakashi walked into the hospital and imeaditly was relived of carrieing Haze any farther. She was taken to the emergancy floor which was full of paitents since the retrieval of Sasuke.

Kakashi decieded to see Sakura who was in the room right next to Haze's. Naruto and Sasuke were in there too. Two young boys were asleep in a chair next to Sakura's bed. "Hello!" Kakashi said wearing his 'Whoopsie silly me' face. "Your late! What's your excuse this time!" Naruto called.

"Shuush! You'll wake the children, and I was having a conversation with the Hokage for your information." Kakashi said looking at Sakura.

"How are you feeling?" Kakashi said taking another chair.

"Okay, better than before..." Sakura said not looking at him.

"So I was wandering... You know Tsunade's looking for an apprentice. I recomended you, do you think you'd like i-"

"Yes!" Sakura said practily jumping out of her bed.

"Okay... Naruto, Jiraiya already spoke to you about training right?" Naruto nodded Sasuke had a confuesed look on his face.

"Sasuke I have no idea what to do with you... I could train you but pretty soon you'll surpass me... Hm, I think I have a friend who could help you out though! But right now she's in the hospital, actually it's Haze!" Kakashi said smiling.

"Whao! You want me to be trained by a kid that's just as old as me! hat can she do that I can't!" Sasuke said fuming.

"Allot actually! She's known as the 'Shadow of the Mist' she was offered the job od Mizukage but she declined... She told me she doesn't like leading or following, she likes just going her own way."

"Fine... I'll take her as my sensie but what would she teach me?" Sasuke said dully.

"Well, she can help you inhance your chidori, and she is known for almost completing the 'silent death techniqe' I'm sure you remember that don't you?" Kakashi said thoughtfuly remembering the techniqe that almost killed him.

"Yeah, we remember... You know I still haven't seen Inari in a long time." Naruto said.

"Well she also has a few techniques that even I cannot copy correctly. She doesn't use them often though. It's either a blood line limit or forbiden jutsu... I'm not sure which, I know she only uses it to kill mass amounts of people. Prabably the reson she was offered Mizukage. Her father could also use it. He was a friend of my sensie the forth Hokage." They all looked up at this statement.

"Wait you said she's in the hospital right now... Why?" Sakura said.

"She went after the gut that killed you... She got some poison in her body, and a few arrows in her back. She most likely didn't want to kill the man and refraind from using her ful strength." Kakashi said, and he felt the two boy's eye lids flip up.

"Nope that can't be true Haze has never been injured! She's delt with Kage levle Jounins!" Sphiso said pounting.

"Yeah, on are way here we were attacked several times but Haze had all of em' down in four minutes flat!" Cesous said also pounting.

"Well she was prabably holding back or something. Or maybe she was caught in a genjutsu. She's never been good at that." Kakashi said wandering what did happen to Haze.

"So did she catch the guy?" Sakura asked.

"Yes he's being sentanced to something..." Kakashi said wazing his hand in emphosis.

Tsunade came in the door her face showed anger. "Naruto! Get back in bed NOW!" Tsunade said as Naruto cowerd away behind a table.

"Okay, but you have to calm down first." Naruto said still behind the table.

"Fine... Now GO!" Tsunade said grabbing his caller and throwing out of the room.

"Any ways I came here to talk to you Kakashi... In privat." Tsunade said refering to the door.

Kakashi had a bad feeling, either the oat meal he had for breakfast was three weeks old or Tsunade was about to tell him something bad. He walked out the door and shut the door. "What is it?"

"Haze's condition is horrible, it seems that for a while now she's had skin cancer. But I'm guessing about since three monthes ago it's been inactive, but now it's spread almost enough that it's close to getting in her blood stream. It looks like she's been treating it with healing techniques that require emence chakra. But the poison that we found is slowly eating away at her chakra coils. It doesn't look good so far, I know that you were planing to adopt her so I figured you should know." Tsunade said holding out some pictures of her cancer and such.

"I-I thought you took out the poison?" Kakashi said trying to controll his emotions.

"Some of it was already too deep to get out. Now it's all out but the damage has been done..."

_Hm... Figures, my life finally was looking up and now it's looking into one of it's deepist plumets. First Sasuke running away, then learning that he nearly killed Naruto with an attack I toaght him and now Haze dieing. Karma must be out to get me... _He sat down in a chair and put his hands on his head.

"You can see her, she's awake and she's been asking to see you too. I didn't tell her that she was dieing, but I think she's known." Tsunade put a comferting hand on his shoulder. _I was planning on introuducing Kurenai to the children. Well I gues I can still do that, but what do I tell Kojie and Nathaniel? _Kakashi walked in the door to Haze's room and pulled up a chair.

"Hey! See I told you I'd meet you here in a few minutes! But you were late, I've been waiting for half an hour." Haze said smiling.

"Sorry I was visiting Sakura." Kakashi said not wearing his usualy happy grin.

"So how is she?"

"Okay, she fine except for a cut in her back."

"Haze would you like to meet my girlfriend?" Kakashi said meekly.

"Sure! But do me a favor, I know Tsunade told you about the cancer but don't tell Nathaniel and Kojie. I don't want them to know, just tell them I was in an accsident, no details." Haze said having a serious voice for once in her life.

"Sure I'll be back in a few minutes..." Kakashi left the room.

But little do any of them know that a certain Kruogine, Rio was waiting to make a certain Kiri ninja pay for putting him back in prison...

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Ooo... Cliff hanger! Well two things can happen now! Haze can die of cancer or she can be murdered! Because I highly doat she'll survive! Muhaha...

I bet you weren't expecting that though were you? Or maybe you were! Sorry for late update I've been on vacation and been burnt while on vacation -I couldn't even lift my arm!- and my summer job is almost over so I've been busy!


	5. Death a Cruel Fait to All

The Found

Chapter 5

Death a Cruel Fait to All

Kakashi waited patiently out side Kurenai's door wile she was dressing. Nathaniel and Kojie with him. Kurenai walked out a few minutes later, in a red dress. "Okay ready! These must be Nathaniel and Kojie but where is Haze?" Kurenai said patting their heads.

"Were going to see her now, she was in a little accident..." Kakashi said with out his usual hint of sarcasm.

"Oh... Hey wait you told us she was waiting to see us with Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke!" Kojie said tugging on his pants.

"Well actually they;re visiting her... And she is waiting for you!" Kakashi said picking up a nervous Nathaniel.

"How did you guys become genin any ways?"

"Well... Lily enrolled us in her version of school. She made us do chores with rules like you have to mop the floor without touching the mop... So we had to use chakra to lift water and then spread it on the floor then use swishing movements to pick up dirt. Stuff like that and then she taught us Jutsus and strategies, like playing tag if you got caught you were dead... She turned regular things and made them life threatening.

Part of the reason they wanted her to be a Kage is cause she knows strategy and jutsu and can control them perfectly. No one else in the village is all that smart, they just kill every one... That's what Haze says!" Nathaniel said sitting atop Kakashi's head.

"She may not be Shikamaru but she takes every thing seriously, ever since her family died she's been working her but off trying to make sure she can save every one next time. She never really had much of a child hood but she doesn't mind... I don't know how she can keep smiling, she wants to help, and nothings going to get in her way..." Kakashi said, silently thinking _nothing but death..._

"Were here!" Kojie said running inside jumping up and down while hanging unto the counter of the hospital.

"We've come to see Kiri, Haze can you tell me what room she's in?"

"Room... 241 H she's in cri-" She was cut off as they ran past her.

Kakashi opened the door Haze lay there with a smile still on her lips talking to Naruto and Sakura while Sasuke just sat there nodding. Haze slowly turned to Kakashi her eyes in upside down U's. Kakashi returned the smile.

Nathaniel rushed to her bed and jumped up giving her a hug. Kojie took a slower approach, Cesous and Sphiso were there too.

Sakura told Haze how greatful she was for saving her life. Haze told Sakura that "It wasn't your fault" and Sakura at first had no idea what she was talking about and then it struck her. Naruto mean while was simply sitting there nodding like he knew.

"I-I know there was something I could have done..."

"What?"

"I could have helped my parents together we could have defeated him!"

"Do you really think so? What would you have done?"

"I-I don't know... Maybe your right... Maybe it wasn't my fault..."

"But if you get stronger you can make a difference..?"

"Of course! I need to get stronger!"

"But you need to protect what you have now... And fight for the future of others in Konoha."

"Your right! I'll work really hard!"

"What are you talking about by the way?"

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Cesous all dropped to the floor. But before Lily had a chance to see what was wrong she saw Kakashi walk in.

"Hello Nathaniel, Kojie, Kakashi and Kurenai I presume?" Haze said hugging the boys which hurt quite allot.

"Yes, you must be Haze?" Kurenai grabbed another chair and seated her self while Kakashi stood over them.

"We were just talking about... What were we talking about?" Haze said turning to Sakura.

"Never mind... Any ways we should go... I was wandering if I could take care of Sphiso and Cesous like you and Kojie..." Sakura said.

"Of Course" Lily said, Sakura smiled and the two boys followed her out. Her back was almost healed but she wasn't supposed to be out of the hospital quite yet.

Sasuke and Naruto followed them, Sasuke silently stared at the door before he left though he murmured "Thanks... Haze..." Before closing the door behind him.

"How're ya feel'in?" Kakashi said taking Naruto's empty chair.

"Not good... Partly because of the can- sir partly cause of the poi-san..." Haze said winking at Kurenai. But a nurse walked in at that moment, Haze was supposed to be getting medicine so Kakashi decided to step out.

Kakashi and the rest left for dinner and Kakashi hardly ate at all he knew what she meant she was going to die at any moment... _But I don't want to let go... I-I can't! But I will... _Kakashi and the others hurried back to the hospital she was out of the intense care center she was now in the place where dying people went.

Kakashi rushed in Haze was sitting there wires covered her body no more only a few now pierced her skin. Kakashi sat on the edge of her bed and put one hand in hers and the other one messed with her dark hair. They had only been gone for a few minutes _how much could have happened..._

Allot

"The doctors said I'm in a tough fix... I'll be put of it in a couple- she mouthed minutes- they asked me if I wanted to go to sleep but I told them I wanted to see you first... And so I have... Kojie you now are the head of our once noble clan... And I'm sure Kakashi can help you be a great person... Nathaniel I haven't known as long as I thought I would but I know that you'll help Kojie and you'll help in your own ways..." Hazes heart monitor went roughly down, Haze winced.

"Kakashi you better be a good example to them! I'm sure you... And... Kurenai will make a... A... Lovely couple. And you know how I know stuff that most people don't? Well I'll tell you my... My secret... Come here, closer, closer there... " Lily's heart monitor went down again.

"I can see the past and the future... When I look in some ones eyes... That's how... I knew about it... Silly" Haze said her voice rattled and her breaths shallow, her eye were closed and she laughed half heartedly. Kojie didn't under stand what was happening, Nathaniel didn't even try to mean while Kakashi held haze in his arms a single tear came down his face.

"Now... Now I can see them again s-so don't be sad be happy... Because I'm happy... I'm very happy... And don't wear black to my funeral where white case that's... That's nice...You know what?.. Life is a riddle... And now I'm at the end... I know the answer... I have the answer... And now... I-I'm... tired... I completed it... I finished my dream... Now it's your turn silly... Silly... Dad..." Haze faded away to calm sleep Her breaths stopped and her heart beat stopped. And a note was sent through the room long and unending every thing seemed to lay still as Haze turned white for a minute then she fell back to the bed...

Kakashi cried and Kojie cried to but Nathaniel took her head band and tied it around her foot, he took off her necklace and handed it to Koji. He sat in Kakashi's lap and hugged him and hugged Koji too. Nathaniel asked Kurenai to help him get Kakashi out of the room.

I was listening to _Life is a Riddle by Leigh Nash _I cried I really did

The next days went by in a haze to Kakashi, the next day he went to Haze's funeral he was surprised to see over fifty people there. An he fulfilled his Haze's last wish and wore white, no one else did though. He was first in line by her casket, she was barred with her clan in the Kiri. Kakashi finally found out how she knew... But he found that he didn't even care any more.

In memory of his cousin, Kojie wore his fore head protector on his foot and he took on the head of his clan even though he was part of Kakashi's family. Two days later after the funeral Kakashi asked Kurenai to marry him. She accepted. Mean while he decided to make him self stronger while his students were gone. Sasuke and Naruto went with Jiraiya the day before and Sakura now lived alone with Sphiso and Cesous in her parents old house training under Tsunade.

No one knew why Rio didn't kill Haze. They never found out either because Rio mysteriously disappeared after Haze's death. Some people think he still wants revenge on Sakura and is waiting for his chance, Or he took the time to escape since Haze was dieing anyways... others think that he felt guilty for trying to kill such a sweet girl but only one is true... And when our heroes return they will know...

Sorry for the short chapter but now it's gunna be team seven action with Akatsuki and Orochimaru included! Now the fun begins! I'm sorry that Haze died but every fan fic character dies sometime... Ha ha he he... Don't KILL ME! Thanks for reviews! And flames are welcome!


	6. The Gathering

The Found

Chapter 6

The Gathering

"Hey you old Hermit, how long till we get there? And will Sasuke be there when we get there? Will Sakura and Kakashi and every one else? What happens if something happened while we were gone?" Naruto said walking back words through the forest trail.

Naruto and Jiraiya were on there way to Konoha, they just finished their training. Sasuke departed them half way through the two and a half years and went to train with a friend of Jiraiyas. He was a spy for Orochimaru and Sasuke who was mad at Orochimaru anyways decided to help him. They were supposed to be back in Konoha by now though.

"Only a little ways! You can see the gates from here... I'm sure Sasuke's fine, he's with Zealous after all." Naruto sped up till he face to face with the two giant doors. Slowly they swung open to reveal a marvelous city and two waiting sentinels at the front desk.

"Hey... Hey! Is... Is that you Naruto?" Genma said standing up so abruptly he hit his head.

"Yeah... It's me!" Naruto said his grin growing in size. But Naruto suddenly jumped put of the way as a chidory nearly hit him in the face.

"You Baka! Your late Sakura thought you died or something..." Sasuke said taking his fist out of the ground.

"Nice to see you too Sasuke!" Naruto said, walking on with Sasuke while Jiraiya went to see lady Tsunade.

"Where's Sakura and Kakashi?"

"Waiting for_ us _at the ramanplace..." Sasuke said stopping in front of the next street.

"What happened while you were Orochimaru's devoted servant?" Naruto said stopping too.

"Allot, he want's to kill the Akatsuki and you. I still have to check up on him every once in a while, I use a henge while I near him. He still wants me, actually that's what I'm supposed to be doing. Getting me..." Sasuke said walking slower than was necessary.

"That stinks for you! But I do have to comment you on your choice of threads..." Naruto said pulling on his sleeve.

"Hey! It's better than yours 'stand out orange'." Sasuke retorted.

"Jiraiya picked this out!"

"Than you should have known better than to wear it!"

"Who picked out yours? Bushy Brows?"

"Sakura did as a matter of fact!"

"_So_... YOU took advice from a girl! Hahahahaha!"

"Come on we're here..." Sasuke pushed open the curtains to find the whole rookie nine there.

"Hello..." Naruto said dumbstruck.

"Hey you've grown taller than me..." Sakura said standing next to him.

"I suppose I have." Naruto said looking down at her.

Kiba, Lee, Shikimaru, Chouji, Ino, Kakashi and Hinata all cracked up. Naruto joined in as they ordered raman. Naruto was about to dig in when he heard the sudden sound of a cat, a cat he had heard once before... On one of his first missions...

But just then Naruto was brought out of his nostalgic memories as a cat landed on his head. "What th- AHH!"

Team Konohamaru talked Naruto strait down to the ground, Naruto pushed them off, and grabbed the cat now laying on his belly and handed it over to the Trio. "I knew I heard that cat some where before! It's that crazy lady's pet that keeps running away... I always felt sorry for the poor guy..." Naruto said getting up wiping some dirt from his back.

"Sorry boss! Thank you for your assistance! Capture lost pet Torah compete!" Konohamaru said putting the cat back in the box.

Naruto noticed that just about everything was different in his beloved Konoha... He looked out side the awning and saw Tsunade's face now covered a part of the mountain. He smiled and went back to his raman and questioning his friends about what's all gone on.

"Actually it's been pretty boring without you and the Uchiha. But We've all gotten stronger, and I can't wait for a rematch!" Kiba said slurping down some noodles, but Naruto thought something was off about him.

"Where's Akamaru?" Naruto said looking around under the bar.

"Out side he can't fit in here..."

"That little shrimp grew that much! Gosh, what have you been feeding him?"

"Dog food and don't all him shrimp! I really haven't noticed how much he's grown since he's like stuck with me all the time."

"Before he could sit on your head! I bet you can sit on his now! Where's Shino any ways?"

"I'm right here Naruto..." A strange man said, Naruto couldn't see his face.

"Hmm..." Naruto was five inches in front the man's nose when he leapt back.

"Sorry I guess it was you after all! I couldn't see you under that hood of yours though..." Naruto said climbing back in his chair.

"You knew every one else..." Shino murmured under his breath.

After they ate team seven had an appointment to meet Tsunade so they departed they're friends. "How are Sphiso and Cesous doing?" Naruto asked Sakura.

"Fine, they're just fine! Hey I just realized, you two are still genin! The rest of us are all chunin, but Neji, Kankurou and Temari are jounin! And Gaara is..."

"What is Gaara!" Naruto said looking Sakura in the eye.

"He's... He's... The Kazekage..." Sakura said shoving Naruto out of the way.

"Gaara what are you doing here?"

"Keeping watch..." Gaara was at the feet of the Sand village border. There was figure in the distance he didn't yet know what it was but it was fast.

"We have guards, you should go back inside, a Gaara... Do you see something?" Kankurou asked looking into the distance.

"Yes... Yes I do... And it's very fast... Get back!" Gaara put a shield of sand around the entrance. There was a thud and then Gaara put an arm forward and let the sand fall. There was a man on the ground his face was dirty and scared he was wearing a prison uniform. There was a tag on his shirt that said...

Kruogine Rio

"Odd... I haven't seen him around here before... He's probably escaped from some other prison. Well it looks like he's just knocked out so lets just put him in the holding cell." Gaara said lifting him with the sand, Kankurou fallowed him.

"What will we do if wakes up?" The guard asked out side Rio's door.

"Ask him where he came from..." Gaara said to the guard by the prison door. The guard nodded and Gaara walked away, he now sat at the Kazekage tower.

He was contemplating about all the letters he'd have to write just to figure out where that prisoner came from, when all the sudden he heard screams and explosions. He looked over head, there was a man in a black cloak with red clouds, he had blond hair and... He was coming toward him.

"Haha very funny, but seriously." Naruto said stepping in front of Sasuke who he was sure was about to say... _"You fell for it dobe!" _But he didn't...

"Were serious, Gaara is the KA-ZE-KA-GE!" Sasuke said walking past him.

"He-he beat me... I never thought... Well... More power to him!" Naruto said thrusting his fist in the air.

"What happened to team Gai anyways? Why weren't they there? And Iruka, Tsunade too..." Naruto said running to catch up.

"They're all busy with missions and paper work, stuff like that." Sakura said stopping suddenly and slowly Turing around.

"Hey guys... Do I look... More womanly to you?" Sakura said slowly.

"Nope you look the same... Besides the clothes and all..." Naruto said, Sasuke merely shrugged and walked past her. Little did they know of Sakura's hidden strength... But in a few painful moments they soon realized that Sakura had grown... Grown more deadlier...

They managed to go to Tsunade's office, without being hospitalized. Tsunade told them that they she went to see their improvement by a three way battle.

"But that means we might put Naruto in a coma..." Sakura said worriedly.

"Why you! Sasuke's going to be the one the coma!" Naruto yelled.

"Yeah right... Sakura will be the first one out... I mean she's just a girl..." Sasuke murmured the last words.

"Not against your selves! You might kill eachother... Remember? I don't know what would have happened if that Haze hadn't come around..." Tsunade said despairingly.

"Who are we going against then?" Naruto said.

"You will be in a three on three battle... You three against, Sai -a root Anbu-, Yamoto -Another Anbu, and Kakashi... Yamoto and Sai are going to be temporarily added as extra members to your team from time to time..." Tsunade said showing them a few pictures.

"What are they like?" Naruto asked passing the pictures to Sakura.

"Oh, well Sai is emotionless... Lately he's been trying to read some materiel on emotions and well... He smiles allot and like to state the obvious... Yamoto's normal, he's like Kakashi-sensei only not perverted..." Sakura said to their astonishment.

"How do you know that?" Naruto asked blankly.

"While you were away I had to have some kind team to do missions on!"

"Anyways... Meet at the training grounds tomorrow! Dismissed!" Tsunade said over the growing confusion in Naruto's head.

Team seven left the tower and started walking home. Sakura had to pick up Censous and Sphiso from the academy, since Tsunade said that they were to young to go on missions, even though they were genin.

"They do pretty good you know that? They are top in every class! Cesous says that if Tsunade doesn't let him graduate this year he's gunna become a rouge... I told him he'd have to write." Sakura said drabbling on and on about Sphiso and Cesous, Naruto thought that those two probably don't remember half the stuff Sakura does. _I guess that what it's like to have a mother..._

"There they are!" Sakura pointed to the two... To Naruto they looked the exact same besides the height and all.

"Hey Naruto-sama, Sasuke-sama how are you two doing?" Sphiso said through gasps of breaths due to the fact Sakura was strangling him.

"Fine... Why are you calling us 'sama'?" Sasuke asked prying off Sakura.

"Well Sakura says that we have to respect our elders..." Cesous said with a mischievous grin.

"Are you callin us old?" Naruto said fuming.

"No! He's implying that your not young..." Sphiso said grinning too.

"What ever... So what happened to Kojie and Nathaniel?" Sasuke said expecting them there too.

"Oh well... Koji is out on a mission with Hinata's sister and Yahen. And Nathaniel is at Kakashi's house at the moment, along with his baby sister Ha-"

"WHAT! KAKASHI HAS A _BABY_!" Naruto and Sasuke exploded.

"Yeah... And_ her _name is Haze in memory of Haze... Why is it surprising to you anyways?" Sakura said walking on.

"I never thought Kakashi would be one to take care of small children..." Naruto said.

"It's true it's hard to imagine Kakashi singing 'Rock a bye baby'. Especially after seeing him in action..." Sasuke said regaining his 'cool'.

"Oh well..." Naruto said walking on.

"By the way! Naruto they found Haze's will... She apparently wrote it four years before she died and well you were left some thing... So I guess that confirms that she could see the the future. But she left you some thing very odd I must say... Kojie says that Haze had the object ever since she was announced head of the clan, and it was worn by all the heads of clans... she and has never took it off. It's a... a... ring." She stopped and turned to Cesous.

"Cesous give him the ring..." Sakura said nudging him in the back.

"Naruto... There is some this you should know about this ring..."

"Did you hear Naruto's back!" Nathaniel said to his mother happily eating his mashed corn.

"Oh he is? Kojie won't be to happy about that... Dose your father know?"

"Nope! He's tucking Hazy in..."

"He is? Isn't early for her bed time... I'll talk with him about it... How was school by the way?"

"AWESOME! I got an 'A' on my strategy test and I was the only one!" Nathaniel said jabbing his spoon in the air.

"Hello..." Kakashi peered thought the door out of the kitchen.

"Kakashi Naruto got back today... Did you know that?" Kurenai said picking at her food.

"Oh... Well maybe Kojie doesn't know that yet... I better see Naruto though just incase Kojie heard..." Kakashi said, and with that he left forgetting his meal far behind...

"It... It can allow you to see into the future, but only certain people... Namely part of the Kiri clan... The main decedents of the Kiri clan actually... And that line of descendants is broken... So it should have gone to Kojie... But it didn't it's _going _to _you_, Naruto she thought that you should have this ring... But it should go to Kojie... So after a very long discussion -in which Kojie was tied to a chair, the decided that you will have the ring." Cesous said handing his a ring, a ring with a single round emerald stone in it reminded him of Haze's eyes, wrapped around it's smooth glass like coat was silver tendrils. It was beautiful, but it was way to small for his fingers...

"A... It's too small..." Naruto said to Cesous.

"No... It will fit if Haze wanted you to have it... put it on your right ring finger, that's where she wore it." Cesous said.

And so Naruto soon found that when he put it on that finger it became very hot and melted to fit Naruto's finger, then the silver tendrils burst to life and sprouted leaves and the emerald gem turned round and round until it turned Sapphire like Naruto's eyes and stopped. Naruto who during this time was screaming his head off saying 'The ring burned me' suddenly stopped and his eyes grew wide then... He did what every one who would have just had a ring come to life when they slipped it on their finger would have done... He passed out...

Well... How was that? I'm sorry I took so long to update but I just got back from camp and TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! It's 2:02 AM right now but I could stay awake till 7:00 PM then I'd fall into a deep sleep...


	7. Inheritance

The Found

Chapter 7

Inheritance

"Well what are we going to do then? If he doesn't wake up soon were going to have to force-feed him... That is so very uncomfterable!"

Naruto groaned how did he get in this place? And who was talking anyways? No one was going to force feed him! "Hmbum?" Naruto grumbled.

"He's awake! Naruto can you hear me?" It was Lee; Naruto could recognize that over prunciated voice anywhere.

"Yes I can hear you, where am I?"

"The hospital, you fainted or passed out just when you put... _her_ ring on." The voice drifted in from the door, Naruto swung his head and found Koji standing in the frame.

"Koji? Oh you're here! You look different, taller, tougher and sick... Are you feeling okay?" Naruto leaned closer, Koji had rings under his eyes, and his pale skin looked stretched over his face and his eyes had a hint of yellow in them. Koji wore a black hoodie with a flame in the middle; his pants and shoes were black too.

"A little, I've probably just caught a cold or something though. I just stopped by to tell you that I think you should have the ring. I'm sure the others told you I was... Angry about it but I'm fine, I realize that it was meant for you." Koji said showing no emotion, Naruto looked startled, the last time he saw Koji, he was energetic and confident like him self. But he didn't much favor this new Koji, sick, sad, black, emotionless Koji.

"Okay, well I'm a... Sorry to hear that you're sick, I hope you get better." Naruto said cautiously. Koji's eyes wavered for a moment across the window and then he turned to leave, Naruto let out a deep breath.

"What has happened to him?" Naruto asked leaning back against his pillows.

"Well, he's an ANBU now; he's kind of... Taught, to be like _that_." Lee said closing the door.

"How long have I been out?"

"Oh, three hours, Sasuke came by but he didn't stay long, said he had to be some where. Neji and Ten Ten came with me but they had to go home, I volunteered to stay incase... Well incase Koji came."

"Oh you mean incase Koji tried to hurt me because I had the ring. But he did come and he didn't try to hurt me. But the again you were there so..." Naruto didn't finish his sentence. _Would Koji really go that far for a little ring? Was it worth keeping if Koji hated me for having it? But on the other hand he did say he wanted me to have the ring... _Naruto's stomache growled, he just realized he was hungry.

"Hey Lee wonna get some thing to eat?"

"Sure! Let's make into a race! Whoever gets to the booth first doesn't pay!" And with that the two raced off, leaving behind a messy bed and angry Tsunade.

-

"Hello, I'm glad to see you're out of the hospital. Are you feeling well?"

"Yep!" Naruto answered Neji. "Couldn't feel better, how are you?" He said taking his eyes off his Raman instead staring into Neji's pale eyes.

"Fine, I heard you spoke with Koji, how did that go?" Neji said sitting down next to him. _Just like Neji to get strait to the point... _Naruto thought.

"A, it was a little... Akward, I mean does he look sick to you or what!" Naruto frowned back at his beef.

"Well we heard he hasn't been copping well with Haze's passing. And when Kakashi named his baby that well, he's been a little on edge. He acts normal around Kakashi and his wife but... When it's just him he gets a little quite. He wont eat unless forced, wont speak unless asked a question, he wont even stare you in the eye unless he's looking for a truth." Neji said looking out at the people walking past.

"And he won't let anyone outside his family and 'comrades' to even touch Haze. I mean he's all "No! She could get sick, or you'll kidnap her!" He even sleeps in the same room as her. But the oddest thing is that he almost never sleeps. He tries but he'll wake up with trembling fingers and sweat covering his face. That's the only time I've ever seen him show emotion in these last two years." Neji said looking Naruto in the eye, Naruto's frowned deepened.

"What's wrong with him? I mean he's lost his cousin, I mean he lost his whole family and still has Nathaniel so why is he so..." Naruto tried to think of the right word. "Upset? Just because of her, I mean she said to be happy about her death didn't she?"

"Well, this is how Nathaniel explains it to me. Koji never knew his family, even when he still had his family Haze took care of him. So you see Haze really was his only family, she was one of the older children so she took care of all the kids. Nathaniel and his brother just took care of themselves so Nathaniel could recover from Haze's death a little easier because he knows she's with her brother.

Koji's just not like that I mean he's known Haze ever since he was born. And now she's gone, so he wants to be gone too." Neji stared a little more intently, and waited for Naruto's response.

"Well that initially sucks, I mean if I lost Iruka I would be lost but I'd get over it, I think."

"Well, Koji's not you..." Lee pointed out.

"I know, but maybe I can get him to be like me!" Naruto's frown rose into a smile as he slowly hatched a plan in his head.

"So you want me to do what? Tell Koji that you want to meet him in like two hours for a... Pep talk?"

"Well don't tell him it's a Pep talk just tell him... I dunno? Make sum'thin up!" Naruto said struggling with this flaw of the plan. Naruto put his hand on his chin and cupped his elbow with the other one. Naruto was explaining his plan to Sakura who thought the first part was good but... The problem was how to get him down there for it to happen.

When suddenly the world stopped. And only Naruto was still moving tapping his finger against his cheek. But was he the only one?

NO!

"Hello Naruto! I thought you would have come here far before this, I mean you can't tell me this is the first problem you've ran into in the past two years."

"Huh?" Naruto looked up and staggered back until he was about to fall of the Hospital roof. _It can't be true, I must be under an illusion, but who would put me in an illusion? Okay stupid question, the question is which one did it and how they knew about Haze..._ Naruto thought getting in a protective stance against the illusion that looked like Haze, right before she died, but in normal clothes.

"Tut, tut. Forgotten me already? I mean you didn't know me well but with the ring and everything..." Haze trailed off looking disappointed.

"No, I remember Haze very well but you can't be her! She... she died... she can't come back!"

"Oh but did die? I mean you left me alone in that room for a long time, time enough for me to escape and leave a dead body."

"Haze would never do that!" Naruto yelled, trying to make sense of what she was saying.

"Naruto, if you don't believe me then let me see the ring, it will fit. No one else but direct decedents and the next in line can take it. You and me basically."

"Next in line?" Naruto said loosing all his rage and filling with curiosity.

"Yep, I can see it in you eyes, after our clan comes to an end, I die -for real-. Your clan will be next, which is just you, so far. And before you ask me _what's so special about my eyes? _I'll show you..." Lily stepped closer until their noses were almost touching.

Naruto saw it; he didn't know how he didn't see it before. Her eye's looked like emeralds were actually coming out of her eyes. He reached up to touch them, Haze didn't stop him instead she reached up to his eyes and, to his surprise pulled something out of it. Naruto barely noticed at all though he was to intrigued with her eyes, he longed to pull one out but he didn't know if he was allowed.

"Go on, It's fine, they regrow like in two minutes anyways." So he did, it came out in a diamond shape and they both stepped back.

"How..?"

"The ring let me see it and I'll show you." So Naruto took off the ring quite easily and gave it to her, it turned from sapphire and leaf patterns to bright emerald and vine patterns that twisted around her finger. Haze's eyes seemed to become an entire emerald, with dark specks in the middle that mingled with bright greens of the glorious stone, making it look natural, like it was back in it's rightful place.

"Whoa!" The piece in his hand seemed suddenly to glow from the inside. Like the emerald itself had a flame inside it. And indeed when he looked into a glass window his eyes looked like Sapphires darker in the middle and that mingled with the lighter blue. And if he looked hard, there was _red_ Sapphire near the very center. _The fox..._

"Ah, yes the demon has made the Sapphire a bit less original then it could be, but in some ways it's even more beautiful." Haze said, then she gave the ring back to Naruto; her eyes turned normal and so did his. The ring once again melted to Naruto's size and this time it didn't even get close to hot.

"So tell me, how am I supposed to get around to Koji?" Naruto held down the stupid questions that popped in his head and got to his current problem.

"No! That will be later" Haze said in a panicky voice, her voice growing in volume. "You must go to Gaara! He's in trouble, I'll talk to Koji with you when you're asleep and can afford to loose some time. But I'm telling you, as soon as Tsunade comes calling, be ready, you'll find a map to the hide out where their keeping him in you back pack." She said saying every thing very fast and remaining very inconspicuous about who did what to Gaara.

"Huh? Gaara's in trouble?"

"Forget about it for now! But be ready!" Haze began to shift in and out of his sight like she was being drafted away by the wind. Then she was gone...

The clock chimed 12:oo...

_Sorry for not updating sooner! My fault... _


	8. Another Like Me

The Found

Chapter 8

Another Like Me

"Well, how about we tell him we're doing a mission?" Sakura said, but Naruto paid no attention, he ran past her, Sakura stared widely at him.

"Naruto were are you going?" Sakura said as she ran after the boy.

"I h-have t-to go see baa-chan!" Naruto muttered dodging an old lady, he had t keep moving. _Gaara needs me; I need to find Lady Tsunade, and the map! _Naruto thought hard and pushed himself to keep moving. Sakura gave up her pursuit for he was running at an impossible rate for Sakura to keep up with, she knew that it was bad for him to this after just being in a hospital.

On the was to Tsunade's office he met Sasuke, he did not ask any questions as to why he was running like a manic, only fallowed. When the two arrived, Tsunade had just sent for Shizume to find them. "Ah, already here, at least half of you. I need you two for a mission, the Akatsuki has kidnapped Gaara, and your trails against the other ninja will have to wait. Sakura is not allowed to accompany you on this mission, because her parent's killer is in the Suna, I fear he's still out to get her. Instead the rest of your team, along with team Gai, who will join you as soon as possible, and two ninja that you were supposed to face will be joining you. Yamoto and Sai, the other members of this mission will be notified, you are to meet two hours from now!" Tsunade said, sucking in a huge breath, "DISMISSED!" She finally yelled and Naruto frowned.

Every thing hung in the air for a minute, and Naruto heard a whisper in his ear "Go alone, now, when you set out, go fallow the map..." But when he turned around no one was there and Tsunade's voice still rung in his ears. He nodded hoping that the whisperer would see, he walked out of the office, Sasuke fallowed him without a word.

"How did you know about Gaara?" Sasuke finally asked.

"I just had a feeling something bad was going to happen, nothing but a preminission." He said remembering Temari, Gaara's sister, would need to be notified.

"What ever you say..." Sasuke said starting for his own empty home. Naruto just needed his backpack so he decided to go and tell Sakura the bad news; after all she met Gaara to. As he walked up to the door, it already swung open and Sakura was aiming at him with a frying pan. Naruto's reflexes helped here, he didn't even think about it as he caught it and thaw it a side, no smug smile, but a deep frown. Sakura was taken aback by the action, it was just yesterday he wrestled with a cat.

"What's wrong with you? Taking off running like a mad man, not telling me why and then blocking a frying pan? And your frowning..." Sakura said softening her voice, realizing that Naruto was sad, or angry.

"Gaara's been taken by the Akatsuki, were going to find him, and you're not coming this time." Naruto said flatly.

"What? Why can't I come, talk to me!" Sakura said pulling Naruto back from the door.

"Your parent's murderer is there, and Tsunade's afraid he'd like a little revenge. It seems that he might have been let loose when the Suna was attacked." Naruto said sadly, Sakura remembered that he was Haze's killer too.

"I see, but I'm still coming!" Sakura said, thinking of how weak she was before and now how she was stronger then ever.

"NO!" Naruto almost yelled, Sakura stepped back, _what was he afraid of? _She asked her self.

"No, we have too many people coming along anyways." Naruto said a bit more calmly, but she heard Sphiso and Cesous coming down the steps.

"Fine, tell the others I said hi, and the best of luck..." Sakura said shutting the door.

Naruto found the map, it lead to the border of the Leaf and Suna, it wasn't too far, he could make it in no time. But the problem was that Sakura had to come along, apparently Kankurou had been poisoned. And Sasuke and Sakura stuck to him like glue away from the two ANBU members and Kakashi. Naruto and Sai didn't exactly get along but he decided the mission was more important. He looked back at their first meeting...

"Hello my name is Sai." A boy with black hair, black eyes, black clothes and a creepy smile said.

"A... My name's Uzimaki Naruto..." He held out his hand, Sai looked at it for a second before grabbing it and throwing Naruto over his shoulder and pinning Naruto to the rough cement. Naruto fumed at the ignorance of the boy.

"You're weak and lazy, why do you even have a name I reworded that if you know what he originally said then your laughing your buts off?"Sai said still smiling and speaking politely he let Naruto go. Sakura was the only thing holding Naruto back from punching Sai in the gut. Yamoto made a simple impression by telling Naruto his name and shaking his hand.

They just made camp the first time in two days, Naruto was right beside the cave were Gaara was supposed to be. But Naruto was so tiered...

"Wake up! Hurry, the Akatsuki aren't gunna take a break because you need some sleep. Hm?" Haze woke him up, but the shadows outside his tent were still moving, and he could hear the sounds of animals.

"What are you doing here? I thought you could only come if you stopped time or what ever happens..?" Naruto asked getting up.

"Nope I can just talk to you better that way, right now I could let Kakashi see me and he'd be like 'Haze, OMG! I totally thought you were like dead'. But he already has another Haze in his life. She needs him more." Haze said in sad tones.

"I'll accompany you though you need a good restraints/assistant. I'll be disguised in my ANBU outfit so no worries. Besides the most I can pause time for is like 15 minutes, and I can't touch other living things." Haze said pulling Naruto up.

"Okay let's go..." Naruto yawned, he couldn't go on like this.

"How about I Carrie you? You'll get some sleep, and I'll get some extra strength, not that I need it." Haze said, Naruto noticed that she was actually just as tall he, she was a bit womanly now, and her hair was slightly longer. She had grown, not very noticeably but she was now his own age, maybe she had been alive... Naruto climbed onto her back, not seeing how Haze could possibly hold his wait.

"Ready?" Haze whispered putting her hands behind his knees, she was breathing evenly, and standing strait, not even a trickle of sweat.

"Yeeeeaaaah..." Naruto yawned and put his head on Haze's shoulder, losing his eyes, he barley felt falling leaves and wind pass by.

"Naruto your turn to take watch." Kakashi yawned, and peeked inside Naruto's tent. There was a sleeping bag, a pillow, a bag, and a piece of paper. But no Naruto.

"Naruto stop fooling around!" Kakashi said into the trees. No answer, not good.

Kakashi ducked inside the tent and reached for the paper and read it.

_Dear Kakashi,_

_I have taken Naruto, please go on with your mission, we will take care of Gaara. And I warn you now, take Sakura to Kankurou A.S.A.P. I take full responsibility for Naruto. Make a clone and disguise it as Naruto so no one else notices he's missing._

_Love _

_Haze Kiri_

"No way!" Kakashi said rereading the note, _it was her handwriting but she was... Dead. How could she write this? _Kakashi wept no tears at the thought of his might-have-been-daughter and decided that he would make two clones, one to be Naruto and one to fallow his kidnapper.

"Were here..." Haze's voice was gentle, but it had an icy edge to it, Naruto shuddered as he dropped from her back. He looked up, theory were at the edge of a river and in front of a huge bolder.

"What now, do we just move the bolder or what?" Naruto asked still a little disgruntled from riding on Haze's back. Haze was looking at the bolder skeptically, as if trying to figure out how to take it down.

"No, I don't think we can, there's a seal we have to remove all of the seals at the same time to deactivate it. See other wise," -she picked up a stone from the riverbed and threw it- " this stone would have hit the bolder it self." Haze said as the tiny stone ran into an invisible wall before it hit the giant rock.

"I see, where are the seals?" Naruto asked ready to send out his clones, but Haze frowned, she closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. There all in different directions I can't give you he exact location, SO I'll send my clones. Be ready after I rip this seal, you have to break the bolder as soon as I rip it off." Haze said looking at Naruto with her sparkling emerald eyes, although her face was trying to look stern, Naruto couldn't help smiling.

"Okay, you just be ready to jump!" He called, Haze smirked, she was glad to be back, and Naruto was happy to have her back too.

Haze did some foreign seals, and five columns of water rose around her. They slowly changed into a human shape, the gained color, Naruto realized that these were water clones. Haze was still concentrating on the clones though as if speaking to them without opening her mouth. Suddenly they vanished and Haze disappeared too, she now sat upon the rock and she gently hanged right beside the seal.

"Well, I'm ready are you?" Haze asked, Naruto smiled slyly, and started to build chakra in his palm. Haze was concentrating for a moment, she nodded her head four times, and her hand edged closer to the seal. In Naruto's hand there was a glowing blue ball of energy, swirling, ready to go. Haze ripped off the seal, the bolder began to fall.

Things went in very quick procession after that, Naruto had trouble focusing on it all at once. Some thing caught first Haze, and when Naruto hit the bolder she fell with it. Out of instinct Naruto lunged for her body, but he was to late, some one else was holding Haze. This some one, was in a black clock, with red clouds. Naruto felt another person around him, he half turned to find Itachi behind him.

"Darn it!" Haze said and disappeared, suddenly every thing froze. Naruto got out of Itachi's grip, and Haze stomped on what Naruto now recognized as Kisame's foot. He fell back, still as a statue, Naruto knocked Itachi back too, and Haze stopped him from doing further damage.

"When we stop time, you can't just hurt a defenseless person! Besides we have ten minutes to get Gaara and get out! I didn't want to use this, but we have no choice, there are too many!" Haze let go of Naruto and ran inside the cavern.

Haze waited for Naruto, motioning for him to fallow her. Inside everything was frozen, ten people in cloaks, a blue mass and a giant statue stood before them. Haze took no time in letting this sink in and went inside the floating blue mass, inside there was something, a person very pale, in black with a white vest.

"Okay, if these guys start moving cause a distraction Naruto, if you can stay hidden. If they capture Gaara and me don't let them get you, if I need to I'll transport you and Gaara." Haze said through the blue mass of smoke like Chakra.

Haze did some signs and the blue cloud took a white cloud out of the statue and put it back Gaara, he was motionless. After she was done the blue cloud vanished. Gaara, was being carried out of the blue mass, he was motionless, Haze carried him in her arms. Naruto wandered how she could keep this up, it must have been hours since she stopped to rest.

They took off into the forest, Gaara was still open-mouthed, his eyes were rolled back and nothing but Naruto and Haze moved. After five minutes, Gaara woke up, his eyes rolled back in place and he was clammy, he was breathing hard. He tried to get away from Haze, but she managed to convince him that they rescued him. At the sight of Naruto's face he seemed to calm him down, they explained to him what happened.

"You stopped time?" He asked, bewildered.

"Yes I can only can do it once a day, and I've already used it twice, I don't much energy left either. But the Akatsuki won't come after you after an hour or so, I made sure they got all your demon out. The only reason your alive is because I took some of the chakra in the air that they were so graciously gave off and took back your life-force-thingy-ma-bob-" Haze said, her voice was horse and she stopped. They were in the middle of the forest, they could barely see sand ahead of them. She set Gaara down gently, and took out a canteen from a pocket, she took a drink.

Haze stood a few more minutes, panting hard, and then she passed out. Gaara caught her, and leaned her against himself on the forest floor. Gaara himself looked pale, and clammy, but other wise unhurt. Naruto gave him some water from his own canteen, they sat there for a moment, until Naruto decided that it was time to move out. Gaara walked by himself toward the sand village, Naruto carried Haze, and they walked quietly.

"Not so far..." Naruto heard a voice behind him, he turned slowly, Gaara tensed, there was a man in a black cloak, like the ones in the cave and he had cloned hair in a half ponytail. Behind him was another in a scorpion like body, they were only a few yards apart.


	9. Saving Gaara

The Found

Chapter 9

Saving Gaara

"Dammit, I thought we ditched these boggies." Naruto muttered to a strait faced Gaara. He simply nodded in response and did forging hand signs, at the same time the scorpion like Akatsuki member laughed and raised his tail to strike Gaara. Naruto dug in his pocket for kunia, and made an attempt to gain the attention of the blond Akatsuki member.

Haze's head suddenly jerked up, she motioned fro Naruto to come to her, he ran, she pointed at the ring on his finger, then she whispered, "Stop, kill, them... Now..." Naruto under stood.

"Gaara, take my hand, come on, hurry up!" Gaara rushed over and grabbed Naruto's hand without a second thought. Then, just like the first time, everything stopped, except himself, Haze, and Gaara.

"What did you do?" Gaara demanded, letting go of Naruto, and catching a piece of frozen sand.

"I stoned time so we can kill these guys,so lets hurry up and get 'em! We have fifteen minutes!" Naruto said already taking a kunia to the blond haired one, and ripping his arms off savagely, then kicking him in the dirt.

Gaara dismantled the scorpion, revealing puppet after puppet that lurked inside, finally finding the las one, and disintegrating it with a sand coffin. But an unforeseen event happened, while most of the time when Gaara used his sand coffin, blood came out of his victim, but purple liquid splattered him this time. And Gaara dropped to his knees, in pain, Naruto quickly rushed to help him.

"Are you okay?"

"No, it was poison in the container, it got in my open wounds. I have to get b-back to the village. I can't walk, and you can't carry us both, you'll have to get some help." Gaara said, his eyelids fluttered and his hand was pulling at Naruto's sleeve tightly.

Naruto swallowed, he couldn't go back to the forest, he couldn't go to the village with just Gaara, and his Gamma-soma wouldn't come into the desert. He was stuck, he didn't know what to do now, for a while at least he could conger up a clone and have it carry Haze, while he carried Gaara.

"Naruto!" He heard Sakura's voice from a distance, like a light in the darkness, but at the same time, he heard the blond Akatsuki's screams of pain.

"Sakura?" Naruto called, pulling Haze and Gaara over his shoulder and walking away from the Akatsuki member.

"Naruto! Where were you? We thought that you we-" Sakura appeared through the trees boarding the desert and stopped at the sight o the withering blond ninja and disembodied puppets. She stared at him wide eyed, and when she saw Haze and Gaara over his shoulder she fainted.

"You have succeeded in destroying two Akatsuki members and saving Gaara." Sia's voice popped out behind Sakura's body, lifting her up, and putting her arm over his shoulder. Kakashi, Yamoto, Sasuke, Gai, Lee, Neji, and TenTen. They all gasped and stared wide eyed at the sand where the two figures still lie, unmoving now.

"Naruto, how... What happened? And is that... Haze?" Sasuke asked, walking closer to Naruto, as he staggered, from exhaustion and the wait of his comrades.

"Sasuke, I'll explain later for now, we have to get back to the village, were all probably infected with the same kind of poison as Kankurou. Gaara and Haze especially, yes, Haze is alive, I'll expla..." Naruto dropped to his knees, not able to hold the wait any longer, or the pain that he could feel spreading through him.

Sasuke picked up Naruto, and the others carried Haze and Gaara, they didn't notice the one of the supposedly dead Akatsuki members get up and dissipate, leaving his comrade in the dust.

"Do you think that this is Haze? Or is it an impostor?" Sakura asked at last.

"I don't know, if it was an impostor, why would she help Naruto and Gaara?" Said Kakashi defensively.

"We don't know that she did help them, maybe-" Sai was cut off.

"Well, how am I supposed to prove to you that I'm Haze?" The dark curly haired girl murmured, her eyes were still closed, but lips her lips moved in the slighted of movements.

"Well, what was your cousins name?" Sasuke said flatly.

"Koji and Nathaniel, how are they by the way Kakashi?" She took a quick peek at Kakashi from under Sai's arm.

"Th-their f-fine..." Kakashi stuttered, he looked st her with shocked, longing eyes.

"I hear you have a daughter, Haze, that was her name right?" She said conversationally.

"Yeah... " He admitted, Haze sighed tiredly, and closed her eyes again.

"Kakashi, you know I can't stay with you," She whispered. "I'm to dangerous to be around." Kakashi didn't respond, but stared hard out into the desert.

"Besides, I have to help Naruto, Gaara and Sasuke now, you've already found your happiness. You have a family, and you have to keep it together, you cannot tel either Koji or Nathaniel that I was here. You can put me in the report, but other then that, I'm still dead to all of you..." She said sharply, almost exasperated.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, first of all I have to deal with Orochimaru, _we're_ going to kill him. Soon. And then we'll deal with the Akatsuki."

"What do you mean we?"

"Well, Naruto and Gaara, aren't coming with us, it's just you, your anger issue problems and me. Of course, Kabuto will be a problem too, not to mention Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo, I just don't know what to do with them. How they'll impact the future by killing them..." Haze said frustratingly.

"What are you talking about? I doubt that we could kill Orochimaru and his henchmen single handedly." Sasuke franticly muttered.

"You could kill Orochimaru single handedly, Naruto could, Gaara could, by my word Sakura even could! And I diffidently can." She said once again exasperated.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura said, staring back in forth from Sasuke to Naruto to Haze.

"Well, I mean, we all have... Special traits don't we... Er, at least Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke do. And no, I'm not going to explain that." Haze said stubbornly, falling asleep again.

The rest of the way was quite, and no one dared to look at Haze, just in case she started yelling at them. None of them had seen have worked up before, not even a little bit, not one ounce of emotion besides happiness, had been there. And now at the sound of her angry words, they could see the stress that was always threatening to engulf her.

"Gaara!" They were met by a ebullient Termari, who picked Gaara right out of Lee's arms, and hugged him vigorously, crying all over him. Half the village came out to meet them, Kankurou included, and escorted them to the hospital. They were all given emergency treatment, and the others waited patently out side to hear the news of their condition. The nurse came out fist, Sakura had been working with her to help treat the poison.

"Naruto is going to be fine, the poison is out, but he won't be able to move for a while. It seems he's used up allot of chakra, he's awake right now, but only three in at a time to see him." Kakashi, Lee and Sasuke made their way to his room and sat them selves against the wall or any free flat surface they could find.

"Naruto," Sasuke asked, since he was the closest, perched hesitantly on his bed. "tell us what happened, why did you leave?"

"Haze took me to save Gaara, she can- Well she's really fast, we caught them off guard and then she just ran out of steam, and me and Gaara took care of the Akatsuki that fallowed us. The you found us, I can't tell you anymore then that." Naruto hedged, he didn't tell a lie, but he wasn't telling them everything, Sasuke could feel it. _Besides, some one doesn't go into a cavern full of Akatsuki, and come back in only a few hours, almost totally unscathed. _Sasuke thought.

"Naruto, you cannot have just gotten in and out like that." Lee argued,

"It really was mostly Haze, I mean she got Gaara out, and ran for nearly three, maybe four hours with me or Gaara on her back. How are they?" Naruto said frowning.

"We don't know. I guess we might have underestimated Haze after all, if she did that..." Sasuke said distractedly.

Naruto and Sasuke wondered what adventures Haze had gotten into while she was away. Why she wasn't dead? And most of all, what future did she have planned for them.


	10. Been There

The Found

Chapter 10

Been There

They left Naruto's room distractedly, they sat down moodily and avoided the questions asked to them. Gaara was next to be done, and Temmari, Kankuro, and Baki rushed in to meet him before any one else got a chance to look up. The emergency light was still on for another half an hour above Haze's room, they had just got back from a silent dinner when Sakura collapsed on a chair.

"She's done." She simply said and Kakashi, Sasuke and Lee rushed off their stools but Sakura help up a hand to stop them. "She only wants Neji, Sasuke and me in there right now." She said getting up again, and stretching, she walked back to the room she had just exited, and Neji and Sasuke fallowed swiftly.

"Hello, I believe we've never met Neji, I'm sorry about that." She held out her hand, wrapped in gauze, like the rest of her, lights blinked above her and beeps reverberated off the walls.

"Hello, Haze, how did you happen to cross my name?" He said shaking her hand slightly.

"Please sit down, this will sadly not be either a pleasant or short talk." She made sure they all had chairs before she continued. "Neji to answer your question fully without lying to you, I need you all to swear never to tell any one, unless I give you permission, what I'm about to unfold onto you all." She said gravely staring each of them down. Neji raised his hand, Sasuke raised his next, and Sakura unwillingly raised her hand. They all thought, _What could it hurt, but to listen, and if it's something vitally dangerous we'll just tell the Hokage. _

"Okay," She cleared her throat and tried to sit up straiter. "this may freak you all out a little bit, but I've been stalking you since I was her five and my parents died. I wasn't like in your room watching you, I just ind of, collected all the data I could get from you. I was there at you graduation, when you members of your family died, and when you were going through your Chunnin exams. Of course I've been watching Naruto, Gaara, Hinata, Shino, Shikamaru, Lee and the Akatsuki too. Just slipping in and out of your lives, watching, helping where I could, and making sure you don't deviate from you path.

"Then of course came the graduation, I watched team seven more, knowing that you would have a tougher time, and of coarse worried about Naruto, he has drawn my interest for some years. And then the Chunnin exams, that was a disaster, all my efforts of trying to keep you safe blew up in my face. Orochimaru, the matches, everything... I failed there, but I could only do so much, change so much with out causing mayhem. And then you Sasuke, when i found you and Naruto, I knew it was coming, but I didn't think so quickly, and I didn't expect you to be still awake. I'm glad and yet mad that I saved you from Orochimaru.

"Yes Sasuke, if I hadn't come, in about two months you'd be trying to kill Naruto on Orochimaru's orders..." She said staring hard at Sasuke daring him to object.

"Why? Why us though?" Sakura demanded.

"Why... Why not? You need help, and I have some to give, more then others, in fact. Sakura, I've staid in the shadows until now, making sure certain things happened and trying to stop others. Now, though, is the time to come in the light."

"But how could you have fallowed us?" Asked an incredulous Neji. " I would have seen, you any Huygga would have, and Ninja's have set traps and guards out side of the village, how could you have gotten in." He asked coldly.

"I wasn't there in person half the time, only during bigger things, besides I couldn't be five places at once when I was five. I used what Gaara calls his sand eye," She explained. "only made of mist and seemingly invisible and not even a Huygga could see it. I concealed the chakra"

"A five year old..." Sasuke said doubtfully.

"When you were six you went kunia training with your brother, and when you tried to copy his moves, you got hurt and your he carried you home." She said, a taunting edge to her words, Sasuke's jaw dropped.

"As I said, I couldn't watch you all at once, so I planted the orphans there in the villages. Of course I also wanted to help them find a home and stuff, and I didn't make them or anything, it was their choice. Some of them that found homes here keep an eye on you guys, fallowing you, I trained them for it. Thy send me mail about every week telling me what you've done and who your doing. Telling me if there are any important events that I need to be there for.

"Of course some of them changed their mind when they met you, like KouKu, Cesous and his brother KouKu, Sphiso. They didn't want anything to do with this until they met you Sakura. But others like Shiung, Yahen wanted to do it because, obviously, your his family. My cousins though, were not in on it, I refused to let them know what was going on, I let them train and stuff, but not anything else. That's why I left them there, they were too involved, and Kakashi was a perfect parent. But I couldn't just dump him with those two, and I couldn't let Nathaniel and Koji think I abandoned them. I was getting to popularly know any way, Orochimaru was making plans to move in on me. So I _'died' _and then that problem was solved." They all stared at her, disbelief etched into their shocked faces, digesting her sacrifice

"This will not be an easy journey for you all," She said, intense "you will have sacrifices to make also. But it's you job, your calling to do this. And, if you haven;t figured it out already, Naruto id the epicenter of it. And as his friends you must help him, you and your team mates." She sighed and sat back in her pillow

"Then why are we just here? Why just us?" Neji asked, his eyes narrowed, he wanted to catch her off guard, to make her words sound like a lie.

"Well you are the leaders of your groups, I only need to tell you at the moment, and then you need to relay this information to Shikamaru. Besides if I told every one... A tung might slip. I can't take that chance. You need to make sure that instructions, that I'll tell you later, are fallowed. Other wise we might as well be doomed. Now, it's not a conspiracy against the world or anything, no big pressure, but for the sake of peace in just this region... You need to fallow my example, in your own way.

"I won't give you directions like a book, or like the Hokage. My directions shall be as simple as give Naruto the piece of pie before nine O'clock. It's up to you to choose how, when and where, so long as he gets the stupid pie." She said sighing, she motioned for Sasuke to come closer.

"Sasuke, go and get the bad on top of the table there," He went over and puzzlement picked up a green bag, it was heavy and bulging. "now give it to me." She commanded

He dropped the bag in her hands lightly, a chime sound echoed within it. Haze opened the bag and took out a scroll, a note book, an ornately painted box, a drawing pad and a tape recording. She silently handed the scroll to Sasuke, who when trying to open it, was slapped She handed the note book to Sakura, and the last three to Neji.

"The box is for Shikamaru, the note book for Gaara, the drawing pad for Hinata." She said. "The others are for you lot, they are my instructions, you cannot show them to any one, unless they are the people that I shall list for you now: Naruto, Gaara, Shikamaru, Hinata, each other, and me. One last thing though, a warning...

"Do not, under any condition, open the next page, hear the next recording or figure out the next puzzle before the date that will be inscribed on the page, marked, or heard over the recording. It's a burden knowing the future you cannot change, instead focus on what you can." She stared them down intently.

"What if we accidentally re-"

"You won't" Haze interrupted

"I'll be watching, waiting, and make sure that Naruto keeps the scroll, there are more directions for him to fallow then you two." She took a deep breath.

"Is that all?" Sakura asked, incredulously, _no further instruction? No __explanation__, just fallow or the village will probably go into ruin... GREAT! And Naruto the dunder head is the __center__ of it! _

"Sakura," Haze said slowly. "these things will happen on there own, weather you want them to or not, I'm trying to help you. I'm trying to do my part, but I can't do it alone, I need you to help me." She looked at them, and Sasuke nodded, Neji fallowed then Sakura, looking deep into Haze's eyes sighed and nodded once before leaving the room. Neji and Sasuke weren't far behind.

They all stood silently outside, ignoring the questions asked to them, slowly the questions stopped though. Each was contemplating about the messages in the scrolls and such, reading the dates and frowning at the time. They all went to bed when Gaara's room had been vacated and their dreams were not as sound as they normally they should be when their eyes closed.

"Where are you going?"

"Some where."

"Where were you all this time?"

"Some where else."

"Who have you been with?"

"Some one."

"Who are you going to be with?"

"Some one else."

"What have you been doing?"

"Some thing."

"What are you going to do?"

"Some thing else, related to the some thing I was doing." Haze calmly answered

"Are you staying here?" Kakashi asked.

"Some times."

"Are you staying in the Hidden Lea-"

"No."

"The Sound?"

"Sometimes."

"Will you be fighting?"

"Some what."

"Will you be in danger?"

"Yes."

"Can I come?"

"No."

"Is my team coming?"

"Some times."

"Are Gaara and other Sand nins coming?"

"Only Gaara."

"What about the other teams from the village?"

"Some of them."

"Are the Akatsuki involved?"

"Inevitably."

"Is Naruto a big part of this?"

"Yes."

"Is Sasuke?"

"Yes."

"Is Sakura?"

"Some what."

"Me?"

"No."

"Neji?"

"Yes."

"Shino?"

"Maybe."

"Kiba?"

"Some what."

"Hinata?"

"Yes."

"Shikamaru?"

"Yes."

"Krunia?"

"No."

"Any one from my family?"

"No."

"Tsunade?"

"No."

Have you been making plans on fighting the Akatsuki?"

"Yes."

"How did you get Gaara out of the Akatsuki hiding place?"

"Fast, and with Naruto's help."

"Why cant you tell me anything not vague?"

"Because your asking vague questions."

"Why did Naruto inherit your ring if your alive?"

"Because, I still have mine, he has my double." She said showing him the one now transformed into a bracelet, although the color and shape were still the same. Kakashi was mute.

"Why him?" He asked soullessly. "Why Naruto, he has enough to deal with, and what about Nathanial?"

"Naruto," She said sitting up strait in her bed and glaring at him. "it belongs to not Nathaniel, this ring was not given to me from father to daughter. This ring was given to me from a stranger, right_ before _my parents died, and so it passes. From the one whom eyes have light, to light, to light, to light, and to light. And we never give them the same ring, my ring was a half of the strangers, Naruto's ring is a part of mine, my double. And I have two more rings, one given to me by another stranger and then I have that one half. Each ring had another half," she took a deep breath. "and neither of those half's are Koji's." She leaned back.

Kakashi left with more questions then what he came in with.


	11. Back Again

The Found

Chapter 11

Back Again

"Ah home," Naruto took a deep breath, stepping past the sentries at the gate. He missed this place, while he was away at the suna he finally realized how the temperature was just right. But he did miss having Haze around in broad daylight. But now she had to be 'incognito' because of Kakashi and her family. _Poor Haze, _Naruto thought,_ never able to see her family but always knowing where they are. _

Haze was pretending to be an old woman that, lost on her way to the Kumo, had been robbed. And as ninja they felt the duty to help her and restore her health. Haze didn't particularly like being carried by Lee but it was necessary. Kakashi was riding on Guy's back due to a run in with Itachi, while trying to find Naruto and Haze, and had used his Sharringon. The damage however hadn't shown any wear on him until the journey back, where Guy dutifully carried him.

"Naruto," Haze croaked. "tell Lee to bring me to the Hokage, preferably before I fall off!"

"Lee, to the Hokage tower," he grabbed a hold of Lee's shirt and stopped him from trying a cart wheel. "now!" Lee looked a little bit taken aback for a moment, but then saluted him, and nodded vigorously.

"I have to tell Guy-sensi first, Naruto." He said methodically.

"Fine, just don't drop the 'old woman'," He said waiting patiently for his friend to plea for _permission_.

"Guy," He said passionately, like he was going to ask him if he was going to marry him. "I must deliver this old maiden to the Hokage, may I go and also fill the report?"

"Yes, Lee, go to Hokage tower!" _Well, where else is he supposed to go? _Naruto thought irritably.

And so they went, Lee bouncing with joy as he shower Haze all the sights, as if she didn't already know them. She had been watching the town grow this whole time, waiting for things to come to pass, and spring into action. Periodically checking to make sure that things were still in place an that nothing needed to be changed.

But what bothered him the most, was that he was at the center of this whole thing.

(#)

"So, let me get this all strait," Tsunade said, taking a sip of Sake. "you killed two Akatsuki, rescued Gaara, and pretended to die so you could 'save the village', right?"

"Something like that, yeah," Haze confirmed. "and now I have to speak to a few people, then be on my way." She was sitting in a chair, in her regular form, twiddling her thumbs, waiting for a response.

"Well, that is entirely unbelievable, and I should have you arrested for faking your own death but," She took another sip. "you saved the Kazekage, and helped us with this mission. Plus, you haven't harmed the village, so I have no hold on you." She sighed and leaned her cheek on her hand. "Can you make it some where safe though? I mean, you look so sick, are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine," Haze responded. "I'm just heading back to the Suna for now. I've made arrangements for my stay with the Kazekage, he has been very generous, he offered me a free stay as long as I like." She chirped, sounding like the old Haze, for the first time in days. "Of course I have to help around the village with community service."

"Dose your," She struggled for the right word. " 'business' have anything in common with the Suna?"

"No,no," Haze denied. " for the most part I'm done with them. But near there, something I need to attend to is going on."

"Ah I see, and what about your request?"

"To bring Sasuke?" Tsunade nodded. "I'll need him for some training, as well as an important mission."

"I'm afraid I may not be able to lone him to you, your not a qualified Leaf ninja, nor even supposed to _alive_."

Haze shifted uncomfortably. "I know, but listen, if I get permission from you, his sensi, and Sasuke himself, would it be okay? Or," She brightened, a sudden epiphany lighting her features. "if I requested him for a mission, payed and everything?"

"I'll consider it," Tsunade said, thinking it over. "go and see the people you need to see and meet me here in the morning."

()

Hinata was confused when a sudden knock on the door came, it was to early for Kiba, Shino was training alone, and Neji was unpacking from his recent mission. _Maybe it is Naruto_, she let herself believe, _maybe he has come to ask me on a date! _she ran to the door, almost running into and pulled it open.

Haze, the dead girl, was in the door way.

"Hello Hinata," she knew her name. "please don't scream, I wish to make my visit secret." Hinata was holding back her panic, and screaming was almost unavoidable. "Inside if you don't mind, I'm quite weak from walking."

'O-o-o-k-k-kay," No one was about the Hyuuga complex, all gone to their jobs. So Hinata took Haze to her room and shut the door, scared, frightened and a little apprehensive, she talked to Haze.

Bye the end of the talk, Hinata had not calmed down, and thought her self to be hallucinating. _How am I supposed to save the village? _She thought, _I can't even beat my cousin... And why dose Naruto have to be in the middle of all this!_

"I know it's allot of weight on you, but your not alone!" Haze said, smiling, then she checked her watch and bit her lip. "I need to go, but you can contact me through Naruto, don't worry, everything's going to be alright." And she hugged Hinata tightly before disappearing.

"So, which one did you get?" Neji rounded the corner, he spotted the drawing pad and nodded knowingly. "That's what she said, I'm guessing she explained things to you right?"

"Yes," Hinata agreed shakily. "I'm scared, too." She admitted.

"So am I, Hinata, so am I."He looked at the first date, it was in two months.

"But don't worry, you've got some time, however, Naruto it looks like, will not have time." He remembered the first date on his excitable friends scroll, it was in a week.

"Why Naruto?"

"I don't know Hinata, but for whatever reason, I know he can do it." Neji said strongly.

"I hope so..." They both thought about their friend, and found that in their own thoughts, he was already emerging victorious, with a big head...

()

"So, I'm supposed to believe, that a dead girl, is giving me orders to save the village, and that Naruto -the klutz of the whole village- is going to be the key." Shikamaru, was not an idiot, he was actually a genius, and he was not falling for Naruto's harebrained prank.

"Yes," The supposedly-fake-Haze said smirking.

"I don't believe you, I mean, Naruto, it's one thing to impersonate a person, but a dead friend? That's sick!" Shikamaru chided.

"I am Haze!" She sighed. "I'll prove it to you, here, if I was Naruto, I couldn't do Chidori, but watch I can!" And she stuck out her palm and energy started climbing down her arm, and gathering in her palm. It made a high pitch squealing sound. She sat up from her cross legged position and slammed her fist in the ground, an earth quake resulted from this hit. Haze smiled triumphantly at a stunned Shikamaru.

"I-I..." He struggled to say something. "I'm not cleaning that up..." He finally spluttered.

But the dirt was already forming back into place, Haze was moving it with a weird misty steam, and in a few minutes it was back to the way it was. Shikamaru, fingered the puzzle box mindlessly, the date was set for tomorrow. It was hard not to open it.

"Wait," Shikamaru's hands froze on the box. " and see if you can't figure it out. But I'm sure you will." And with that she skipped into the kitchen, saying goodnight to his mother and taking one of her rice cakes.

Shikamaru thought about all she had said, about keeping a close eye on the road, but not looking to far... Or you might tip. He thought about it, all his planing ahead, expecting thing to go one way or the other... _Yes,_ he thought, _I've tripped and gotten scraped up, not learning from mistakes. But now,_ he realized, _I learn to keep my eyes on the ground, instead of the clouds. _

"Shikamaru, come in it's dinner time, and get you father!" _What's going on right now, _he thought, _is his family time. Which could end tomorrow, _he gripped the box tighter, _so I should enjoy it while I can. And with that he tried hard to be a part of his family, and not grope about the food._

To bad his family wasn't the part Haze had been talking about...

()

Haze clambered back to Tsunade's office after picking up Naruto to help her walk, since she was pretending to be an old lady, this was no great disturbance.

"Have you made up your mind yet?" She asked, seriously.

"Yes," Tsunade mimicked her voice. "Sasuke can go, but," For Haze was relaxing. "I have to hear a report from him every week."

Haze almost laughed with the simplicity of her demand. She agreed, and Naruto was sent to find Sasuke while they finalized some details. He reached the almost abandoned mansion and walked inside it's eerie contents, looking for a living part of the encampment. Finally he found Sasuke, bags packed and already to leave, siting on the floor looking at the moon. Before he had even told him.

"So is it already time to go?" He asked, turning to Naruto.

"Yeah, but hey, Sasuke, you know you don't have to do this, don't you?"

"No Naruto, I do have to do this," Sasuke looked his friend in the eye.

"You just got back!" Naruto said, afriad to loose his friend to some harebrianed scheem of Haze's. "Can't you wait for a little while?"

"No, I can't Naruto, Haze is right," Sasuke got to his feet.

"Right about what?"

"Power doesn't mean anything, but friends, family, hope... That's what matters. And to protect those things, I need to stop the things that are trying to destroy them Naruto."

And with that, the two shook hands, and Sasuke sped off into the night, while Naruto, prayed for his friends safe return.

**OMG!! That took forever!!**


End file.
